ESR study of graphite-fluorine and graphite-fluoride acceptor intercalation compounds

We report an in situ ESR study of the graphite-fluorine system as well as of the graphite-fluoride acceptor intercalation compounds C:PF₅:F₂, C:GeF₄:F₂, C:AsF₅, C:SbF₅, C:IF₅:F₂, etc., with emphasis on the ESR line-shape (A/B ratio) and linewidth. The lineshape as a function of exposure time to the fluorine atmosphere can be well described by a modified theory of Dyson. This agreement yields information about the dynamics of the intercalation process. The linewidth increases approximately with the atomic number of the intercalant species, indicating that the conduction carriers are scattered by the intercalants due to the spin-orbit mechanism.