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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Microwave response near zero magnetic field was observed in YAlO3 and CaYAlO4 crystals dilutely doped with Mn in concentration ranging from 0.05 to 2 atomic %. The response is due to non-resonant microwave absorption, which co-exists with normal electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) absorption due to different paramagnetic valence states of manganese. Mn2+ and Mn4+ charge states were identified in Mn-doped YAlO3, and Mn2+, Mn4+ and Mn5+ in Mn-doped CaYAlO4. The low field response has the opposite phase with respect to the paramagnetic absorption. This shows that Mn-doped YAlO3 and CaYAlO4 exhibit magnetically induced microwave absorption, which has a minimum at zero magnetic field and increases with the applied magnetic field. This effect is similar to microwave magneto-resistance effects observed in manganite perovskites, where spin-dependent electron tunneling occurs between ferromagnetically coupled manganese ions in different valence states. We show, however, that in the present case of diluted paramagnetic systems, magneto-induced microwave losses are due to intramolecular spin-dependent tunneling, where central paramagnetic ion does not change its charge state and spin-dependent charge migration occurs in the first coordination sphere of paramagnetic ion. Evidences are presented that this ion is Mn2+ exhibiting the highest electron spin S = 5/2.