Mössbauer spectroscopy and structural analysis of solids

Abstract

Mössbauer spectroscopy is reviewed as a method of analysis of hyperfine interactions in the solid state. It is sensitive both to the atomic scale and to phase structures. It utilizes the interactions between the hyperfine fields and nuclei in solids measured by a nuclear technique. The importance of various Mössbauer isotopes is discussed, the ⁵⁷Fe being still the most important. Principles of the qualitative determination of the structure sites and/or phase attachment are explained on the basis of the measurement of hyperfine structure parameters (i.e. the isomer (chemical) shift, the quadrupole and magnetic splittings). The role of the hyperfine field distribution determination is stressed, especially the magnetic hyperfine induction distribution in magnetically ordered solids. Conditions are explained for the feasibility of quantitative estimations of site occupancy and phase abundance. With respect to the predominant role of the magnetic hyperfine structure predestinating Mössbauer spectroscopy to be considered simultaneously as a special magnetic measuring technique, examples are chosen from the field of new magnetic materials. For the substituted hexagonal (M-type) ferrites (aimed, e.g., for the perpendicular magnetic recording), Mössbauer determination of the cation site occupancy is discussed. Structural changes in ion implanted Fe-B-based amorphous alloys detected by the hyperfine field distribution are shown. For the magnetically extremely soft FeCuNbSiB alloys, produced by the controlled crystallization of an amorphous ribbon, the estimation of their rather complicated phase composition by the Mössbauer phase analysis is demonstrated.