Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
General Introduction to Mössbauer
Spectroscopy
Saburo Nasu
Abstract This chapter describes a general introduction of the Mössbauer spec-
troscopy. What is the Mössbauer effect and what is the characteristic feature of the
Mössbauer spectroscopy? These questions are answered briefly in this chapter.
Mössbauer spectroscopy is based on recoilless emission and resonant absorption of
gamma radiation by atomic nuclei. Since the electric and magnetic hyperfine
interactions of Mössbauer probe atom in solids can be described from the
Mössbauer spectra, the essence of experiments, the hyperfine interactions and the
spectral line shape are discussed. In addition, the experiments and the new reso-
nance technique with synchrotron radiation have been also briefly described.
In 1956 and 1957, young physicist R. Mössbauer has performed the experiments
concerning the scattering of the 129 keV c-ray of
191
Ir by Ir and discovered an
increase in scattering at low temperatures. Results obtained and his interpretations
were published in 1958 [
1
-
3
], which is the beginning of the Mössbauer effects
study and its development as the Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Nobel Prize for
physics 1961 was awarded to him [
4
]. Mössbauer spectroscopy is the recoilless
emission and the recoilless resonant absorption of the c-ray by the nucleus. After
the
57
Fe is found as the most suitable nucleus for the recoilless resonance, the
57
Fe
Mössbauer spectroscopy is recognized as one of the powerful analytical tools for
the study in the fields of solid states and material science. Up to now the
Mössbauer spectroscopy is contributing to the progress in physics, chemistry,
biology, metallurgy, mineralogy and so on.
In this chapter, we present a general introduction to the Mössbauer spectros-
copy, although the many excellent textbooks for the Mössbauer effect and its
spectroscopy have been already published [
5
-
15
]. First we discuss the nuclear
