Facilities

The EPR measurements are realized at X-band with a 9 GHz Bruker Elexsys E500 instrument (Bruker), equipped with a microwave frequency counter, and an Oxford Instruments ESR 900 continuous He flow cryostat is used for temperatures in the range (4 - 300) K. An automatic goniometer for angle-dependent measurements can be used.

For the EFM-EPR measurements, homemade modified versions of the EPR sample holders are used. In order to introduce an electric field in the comparatively small X-band cavity two thin parallel conducting wires about 1 mm away are used. Electric fields up to approximately 100 kV/m can be applied.

The Mössbauer measurements are performed by means of a standard Mössbauer setup in transmission geometry. The γ-ray source is a 25-mCi ⁵⁷Co in rhodium matrix, emitting 14.4 keV rays that can be resonantly absorbed by ⁵⁷Fe. Measurements at cryogenic temperatures are realized by an Oxford Instruments He-based or N₂-based flux cryogenic system.

For the study of ¹⁵¹Eu containing samples a setup in transmission geometry equipped with a ¹⁵¹SmF₃ source and a cryogenerator for cryogenic temperatures is present.