Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of erbium(III), dysprosium(III), and gadolinium(III) in yttrium and lanthanum hydrides

The present study was undertaken to confirm the oxidation state of the metal and the hydridic nature of the hydrogen by obtaining electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters sensitive to the oxidation state of the metal and to the sign of the charge on the hydrogen for representative lanthanides (Er, Dy, and Gd) diluted in the nonmagnetic host materials YH/sub x/ and LaH/sub x/. For hydride compositions near x = 2.0, the environment of the dopant metal ion should be cubic for the majority of the ions present, thus providing a convenient situation for determining the oxidation state and electronic ground state of the ion in question so as to distinguish between protonic and hydridic crystalline electric fields