Nuclear Spin-Lattice Relaxation in Metals at Low Temperatures

In NMR experiments on metals at low temperatures, the analysis to obtain the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time τ1 can be complicated because the lattice thermal capacity becomes small and other thermal resistances to the heat flow to the thermal bath can become significant. A theoretical model is developed which gives consistent results for κ=τ1T when applied to experimental data obtained for Pt powder over a wide range of experimental conditions.