Divergence of the orbital nuclear magnetic relaxation rate in metals

Abstract

We analyze the nuclear magnetic relaxation rate $(1/T_1)_{orb}$ due to the coupling of nuclear spin to the orbital moment of itinerant electrons in metals. In the clean non--interacting case, contributions from large--distance current fluctuations add up to cause a divergence of $(1/T_1)_{orb}$. When impurity scattering is present, the elastic mean free time $\tau$ cuts off the divergence, and the magnitude of the effect at low temperatures is controlled by the parameter $\ln(\mu \tau)$, where $\mu$ is the chemical potential. The spin--dipolar hyperfine coupling, while has the same spatial variation $1/r^3$ as the orbital hyperfine coupling, does not produce a divergence in the nuclear magnetic relaxation rate.Comment: 11pages; v4: The analysis of the normal state is more compelete now, including a comparison with other hyperfine interactions and a detailed discussion of the effect in representative metals. The superconducting state is excluded from consideration in this pape