A longitudinally detected high-field ESR spectrometer for the measurement of spin-lattice relaxation times.

We describe a high-field longitudinally detected electron spin resonance (LOD-ESR) spectrometer operating at 35 and 75 GHz. The lack of resonant microwave circuits facilitates operation at different microwave frequencies without changing the probehead. A very low noise radio frequency detection compensates partially the resulting low sensitivity. The major elements of the LOD-ESR spectrometer are commercially available and may be adapted to usual high frequency spectrometers. The instrument allows field and frequency dependent spin lattice relaxation time (T1) studies. T1 in the range of 2-80 ns can be determined from the phase sensitively detected LOD-ESR spectra. We demonstrate the performance of the apparatus by the measurement of T1 in the normal state of RbC60, an electrically conducting alkaline fulleride polymer.