The Effect of Electron-Electron Interaction on the Nuclear Spin Relaxation in Metals

The rate of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation due to the hyperfine interaction is shown to be enhanced by a repulsive electron-electron interaction. The relaxation time is expressed in terms of the wavelength and frequency dependent magnetic susceptibilities of the conduction electrons. The magnetic susceptibilities are calculated taking account of the electron-electron interaction of the δ-function type with a random phase approximation. The Korringa relation between the frequency shift and the relaxation time is shown to be altered by the electron-electron interaction. The theory applies also to the electron spin relaxation of localized magnetic atoms in certain alloys.