Zero phonon line isotope shifts of d-d transitions depend on the local
vibrational properties of the transition metal. For copper in ZnO thi
s isotope effect depend not only on the mass of the copper impurity bu
t also on the mass of the oxygen ligands. To explain this behavior the
local vibrational properties of copper in ZnO are investigated by mea
ns of resonant Raman spectroscopy and analyzed in a cluster calculatio
n in the valence force model of Kane using the scaling factor approxim
ation. The fit of the experimental data together with the calculations
give insight into the local binding properties around the impurity, t
he localization and the symmetry of the local vibrational modes. The c
opper incorporation results in a local bond softening in the ZnO latti
ce. The copper and the oxygen mass dependences of the local vibrationa
l modes of the CuO4-cluster are calculated. The mass dependence is mai
nly determined by the localization of the local vibrational modes. The
anisotropic vibration of the CuO4-tetrahedron explains the ligand ind
uced zero phonon line isotope shift which was observed for the intrace
nter Cu2+(T-2(2)-(2)E) transition.