Hyperfine interactions in intermetallic rare earth-gallium compounds studied by 111 Cd PAC

Magnetic and electric hyperfine interaction of the nuclear probe ¹¹¹In/¹¹¹Cd in intermetallic compounds of the rare earth-gallium system have been investigated by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy. The PAC measurements, supported by X-ray diffraction, provide evidence for a marked phase preference of ¹¹¹In for hexagonal RGa₂ over orthorhombic RGa and of RGa₃ with the L12 structure over RGa₂. In the case of SmGa₂, the magnetic hyperfine field B_hf, the electric quadrupole interaction and the angle β between B_hf and the symmetry axis of the electric field gradient have been determined as a function of temperature. The angle β?=?0 is consistent with the results of previous magnetization studies. Up to T?≤?17 K the magnetic hyperfine field has a constant value of B_hf?=?3.0(2) T. The rapid decrease at higher T gives the impression of a first-order transition with an order temperature of T_N?=?19.5 K. In the RKKY model of indirect 4f interaction the ratio T_C/B_hf(0) is a measure of the coupling constant. For ¹¹¹Cd:SmGa₂ (T_C/B_hf(0)~6.5 K/T) this ratio is significantly smaller than for the same probe in other R intermetallics (SmAl₂ ~9.5 K/T, Sm₂In ~13.5 K/T).     

Magnetic hyperfine fields for Sn atoms in rare-earth intermetallides: huge deviation from proportionality between Bhf and Sz

The magnetic hyperfine fields for ¹¹⁹Sn impurity atoms, localized in Ga sites of ferromagnetic intermetallic compounds RGa (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm), were measured by the Mössbauer spectroscopy technique. At T=5 K, the hyperfine field value (B_hf) varies from 3.3 T in TmGa to 28.0 T in GdGa. Huge deviation from the proportionality between B_hf and the projection of the R³⁺ ion spin (S_z=(g−1)J) was found. As the atomic number of the R element increases, the B_hf/S_z ratio drastically decreases from 12.6 T for PrGa to 3.3 T for TmGa. This unexpected result can be explained by the strong dependency of B_hf value on the relationship between the Sn-R atomic separation (R_nn) and the radius of the magnetic 4f shell (R_4f). In the framework of this concept, the available experimental data for Sn atom in the rare-earth compounds with non-magnetic sp elements were considered. The data may be described by the universal dependency on the single parameter, λ=R_nn/R_4f.     

Kinetics of Atomic Cascade in Light Exotic Atoms

The magnetic hyperfine field B _hf for Cd in the Heusler alloy Pd₂MnSn at the site of chemically introduced Ag has been investigated by PAC following the ^– decay of ¹¹¹Ag. Sign and temperature dependence of B _hf have been determined. Comparison of the result B _hf(T=0)=+8.0(1) T with earlier data and ab-initio band structure calculations leads to the conclusion that the Ag activity has been incorporated at the Mn site.     

Magnetic hyperfine field and electric field gradient for111Cd at the Kr/Fe interface

Polycrystalline iron foils implanted to high Kr doses were doped with¹¹¹In and the magnetic hyperfine field as well as the electric field gradient measured. From the present TDPAC experiments we observed a substantial fraction of probes in a “defect” site, with its hyperfine parameters Δ|B_hf|=6.9% and V_zz=1.12 10¹⁷V/cm², in close similarity with those expected for the Kr/Fe interface.     

Perturbed Angular Correlation Study of Magnetic and Electric Hyperfine Interactions at 111Cd in GdNi2 and SmNi2

The magnetic hyperfine field B _hf of the closed-shell probe nucleus ¹¹¹Cd in the C15 Laves phase RNi₂ (R= Gd, Sm) has been investigated as a function of temperature by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy. The saturation magnetic hyperfine fields at 10 K are B _hf=7.7(2) and 3.9(1) T for GdNi₂ and SmNi₂, respectively. Although the probe nucleus resides on the cubic rare-earth site, a strong axially symmetric electric quadrupole interaction (QI) is observed in the paramagnetic phase at T300 K. The possible relation of this unexpected QI to the structural instability of RNi₂ is discussed.     

Nuclear hyperfine effects in Dy(OH)3

A crystal field analysis of the experimental data on magnetic, optical and thermal properties of Dy(OH)₃ single crystals have been published The nuclear hyperfine properties of Dy³⁺ in Dy(OH)₃ were studied using a crystal field thus obtained. The hyperfine spectra were computed from 4–20 K with a minimum number of approximations. Under a weak crystal field, the lowest electronic level is a Kramers' doublet For this highly anisotropic crystal, the magnetic hyperfine and the quadrupole interactions are both prominent The quadrupole interaction energy is temperature dependent The value of the magnetic Sternheimer factor R_hf/R is determined to be 0 14 The observed specific heat $\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{hf}}\text{R}$ arising from hyperfine interactions have been explained satisfactorily A maxima is expected at 21 mK.     

Spin and temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field of Cd in the rare earth-aluminum Lavesphase compounds RAl2

Perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy has been used to investigate the combined magnetic and electric hyperfine interaction of the probe nucleus ¹¹¹Cd in ferromagnetically ordered rare earth (R)-dialuminides RAl₂ as a function of temperature for the rare earth constituents R=Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er. In compounds with two magnetically non-equivalent Al sites (R=Sm, Tb, Ho, Er), the magnetic hyperfine field was found to be strongly anisotropic. This anisotropy is much greater than the anisotropic dipolar fields, suggesting a contribution of the anisotropic 4f-electron density to magnetic hyperfine field at the closed-shell probe nucleus. The spin dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field reflects a decrease of the effective exchange parameter of the indirect coupling with increasing R atomic number. For the compounds with the R constituents R=Pr, Nd, Tb, Dy and Ho the parameters B₄, B₆ of the interaction of the crystal field interaction have been determined from the temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field. The ¹¹¹Cd PAC spectrum of EuAl₂ at 9 K confirms the antiferromagnetic structure of this compound.     

Temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field at cerium impurity in Co

Perturbed gamma-gamma angular correlation (PAC) technique was used to measure the magnetic hyperfine field (B _hf ) at Ce impurity in Co using ¹⁴⁰La→ ¹⁴⁰Ce probe. The radioactive ¹⁴⁰La produced by neutron irradiation of lanthanum metal with thermal neutrons was introduced in Co by arc melting in argon atmosphere. The present measurements cover the temperature range from 4.2– 1300 K. Two pure magnetic interactions were observed at impurity sites, corresponding to a ferromagnetic ordering of Co moments in hcp and fcc phases. The temperature dependence of B _hf for both phases, however, shows a sharp deviation from an expected standard Brillouin-like behavior for the host magnetization. The results are discussed in terms of a simple molecular-field model where the localized moment at impurity ions as well as the conduction electron contributions to the hyperfine field are taken into account.     

Magnetic fields at 181Ta nuclei in Laves phases of RFe2 (R=Nd, Pr, Sm, Gd, Dy, Yb, Lu)

By studying the perturbed angular correlations of γ-rays emitted during the decay of ¹⁸¹Hf impurities in the Laves phases of PrFe₂, DyFe₂, and YbFe₂, we have investigated the magnetic hyperfine interaction between these compounds and its daughter nucleus ¹⁸¹Ta, and have determined the temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine fields. At room temperature we obtained the following values of these magnetic hyperfine fields B _hf:B _hf(PrFe₂)=7.6(1) T, B _hf(DyFe₂)=15.5(5) T, and B _hf(YbFe₂)=18.8(3) T. When taken together with data obtained previously, the results of our experiments show that for Ta nuclei in the RFe₂ Laves phases the values of B _hf depend strongly on whether R is a light or a heavy rare-earth element, which allows us to conclude that in these phases the value of the magnetic moment induced at the impurity Ta nuclei depends on the interatomic distance. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 1085–1091 (March 1997)     

The magnetic hyperfine field of 111Cd in the light rare earth metal neodymium

The magnetic hyperfine field of the non-magnetic impurity ¹¹¹Cd in the light rare earth metal Nd has been determined by a perturbed angular correlation (TDPAC) measurement to be |H_hf| = 76.5 (1.5) kOe at 4.2 K. This value fits excellently into the linear relation between H_hf and the rare earth spin projection (g − 1)J observed for ¹¹¹Cd in the heavy rare earth series Gd to Tm. The data suggest a maximum of the s-f coupling constant J(0) for Sm.     

The Nonanuclear [Mo(IV){(CN)Fe(III)(3-ethoxy-saldptn)}8]Cl4 Complex Compound Exhibits Multiple Spin Transitions Observed by Mössbauer Spectroscopy

The hyperfine interactions at ¹⁸¹Ta ions on Fe³⁺ sites in α-Fe₂O₃ (hematite) were studied in the temperature range 11–1100 K by means of the perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique. The ¹⁸¹Hf(β⁻)¹⁸¹Ta probe nuclei were introduced chemically into the sample during the preparation. The hyperfine interaction measurements allow to observe the magnetic phase transition and to characterize the supertransferred hyperfine magnetic field B_hf and the electric field gradient (EFG) at the impurity sites. The angles between B_hf and the principal axes of the EFG were determined. The Morin transition was also observed. The results are compared with those of similar experiments carried out using ¹¹¹Cd probe. ^aAlso at Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.     

Magnetic properties and hyperfine interactions in RCo2B2 (R = Nd,Gd, Tb)

The magnetic properties of RCo₂B₂ compounds which crystallize in the ThCr₂Si₂ structure with R = Nd, Gd, Tb have been investigated. The magnetic structure is ferromagnetic for NdCo₂B₂ and GdCo₂B₂, T_c equals 32 and 26 K respectively and antiferromagnetic for TbCo₂B₂ (T_N = 19 K). Curie-Weiss behaviour is exhibited by all the compounds and the effective moments derived indicate that Co is diamagnetic. The difference in magnetic properties between RCo₂B₂ and other isomorphous RCo₂X₂ (X = Si, Ge) is discussed. Mössbauer studies of ¹⁵⁵Gd in GdCo₂B₂ yielded the hyperfine interaction parameters and determined the direction of the magnetization to be in the basal plane. The electric quadropole interaction at 4.1 K is 580 MHz sec^?1, this is the largest ever found in an intermetallic Gd containing compound.     

Temperature evolution of frustrated spin states in the system with competing exchange interactions. Fe0.65Ni0.35)1−x Mnx (x=0, 0.024, 0.034)

The influence of temperature on the distribution function P(B _hf) of the magnetic hyperfine fields for ⁵⁷Fe in (Fe_0.65Ni_0.35)_1?x Mn_x alloys (x=0, 0.024, 0.034) are investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer absorption spectra are measured in the temperature interval 5–300 K; in the interval 5–80 K the measurements are performed in a magnetic field of 0.2 T. Anomalies are found in the temperature curves of the intensity of the principal maximum of the functions P(B _hf)[B _hf=30–38 T] and the total (integrated) intensities of the low-field components [B _hf=(4–13) T]. The detected anomalies in the behavior of the total intensities are interpreted as resulting from a change in the balance of competing exchange interactions due to the thermal annihilation of antiferromagnetic Fe-Fe exchange interaction. The emergence of strong satellite lines in the interval B _hf=20–29 T in Mn-doped alloys is attributed to reorientation of the spins of Fe atoms under the influence of strong antiferromagnetic Mn-Fe exchange interaction.     

The hyperfine magnetic field at57Fe and181Ta in Hf(Fe1−x Co x )2 system

The hyperfine magnetic field at⁵⁷Fe in the ferromagnetic Laves compounds Hf(Fe_1?x Co _x )₂ was measured by the Mössbauer effect method. The substitution of Fe atoms by Co atoms induces a gradual change ofB _hf(Fe) and a decrease in the magnetic moment values in Fe?Co sublattice. The perturbed angular correlation measurements of¹⁸¹Ta were carried out forX=0,X=0.1,X=0.55 at 300 K, andX=0.4 atT=400°C. An abrupt change ofB _hf (Ta) in 0<X<0.1 was observed.     

The magnetic hyperfine field at Cd nuclei in the rare earth ferromagnets Gd,Tb, Dy,Ho, Er and Tm

The time differential perturbed angular correlation technique has been used to study the combined magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions at the site of a¹¹¹Cd impurity in the rare earth ferromagnets Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm at 4.2 °K. The following magnetic hyperfine fields at the site of¹¹¹Cd have been found: ¦H _hf ¦=340(7) kG in Gd, 275 (5) kG in Tb, 221 (4) kG in Dy, 116 (3) kG in Er and 60 (6) kG in Tm. In Ho two magnetically different sites were observed with magnetic fields of 159 (3) and 139 (3) kG. Both sites are equally populated. The coupling constantJ _5f of the conduction electron-4f interaction has been calculated for the different rare earth metals from the measured hyperfine fields by means of the RKKY theory.     

119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy of U x Th1−x CoSn and UCoAl1−x Sn x

Magnetization and¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy studies were performed on two pseudoternary systems, namely U _x Th_1?x CoSn and UCoAl_1?x Sn _x . Magnetic hyperfine fields on¹¹⁹Sn nuclei were found to be due to local surrounding of U atoms which carry magnetic moments. In pure UCoSn the valuesB _hf=8.66 T and μ_∪ satisfy the relationB _hf=6.75 μ_B found for a number of UTX compounds studied. Local surrounding effects are indicated by multicomponent spectra obtained for the two pseudoternary series.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy of Al substituted Fe in holmium iron garnet

A Mössbauer spectroscopy study was made on Ho₃Fe_5-xAl_xO₁₂ (x=0.0, 0.05, 0.7). X‐ray diffraction patterns indicate that the samples with x=0.0 and 0.05 have the garnet structure, while the sample with x=0.7 has an additional noncubic structural phase. The room temperature spectrum for samples with x=0.0 and 0.05 consists of two magnetic components corresponding to the octahedral and tetrahedral sites with hyperfine magnetic fields (B_hf) of 50 T and 40 T, respectively. For x=0.7 we observe a new magnetic component with B_hf= 45 T, a reduction in the intensity and broadening of the tetrahedral component, and the evolution of a nonmagnetic central component. These variations are evidently due to the addition of aluminium to the system. At liquid nitrogen temperature the samples with x=0.0 and 0.05 are nearly identical. It was also observed that the increase in B_hf for the octahedral site is smaller than that for the tetrahedral site as the temperature is lowered to 80 K.     

151 Eu hyperfine fields,isomer shifts and moments in Eu-based EuT 2 X 2 intermetallic compounds

The closed-shell, well-screened europium moment should make its compounds an easy and robust system in which to study the correlation between the local moment and the observed hyperfine field (B_hf). Having explored why one might expect B_hf to provide a reasonable measure of the local moment, and why the isomer shift (δ) might allow for a first-order correction to include the effects of the local chemical environment, we proceed with an anlysis of the extensive ¹⁵¹Eu Mössbauer data on the EuT₂X₂ compound family. We find that while in some limited cases a useful correlation may exist, in general there are far too many as yet unknown contributions to B_hf for it to provide a meaningful estimate of the moment.     

The radial dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field for Sn atoms in the ferromagnetic Heusler alloys

The magnetic hyperfine fields,B _hf, for impurity¹¹⁹Sn atoms in Z sites of ferromagnetic Heusler alloys Co₂MnZ (Z=Si, Ge) are measured by the Mössbauer effect. At 77 KB _hf=–1.43±0.04 T in Co₂MnSi andB _hf=+1.05±0.05 T in Co₂MnGe. From the comparison between the values ofB _hf for Sn atoms in Co₂MnZ (Z=Si, Ge, Sn), it follows that the negative contribution toB _hf drops as the interatomic distance begins to increase. This radial dependence also manifests itself in the anomalies of the temperature dependences of the hyperfine fields. The temperature anomaly is positive for Sn in Co₂MnGe and negative for Sn in Co₂MnSi.     

Competing anisotropy and random field effects in Mn1−xFexCO3

Previously published ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer data for MnCO₃:Fe have been interpreted as arising from a competing anisotropy system. By considering the variation of the magnitude H_hf and direction θ_hf of the magnetic hyperfine field with temperature, the phase diagram for Mn_1?xFe_xCO₃ is deduced. The boundaries of the mixed phase are clear in the Mössbauer data. However, these boundaries are not sharp but are broadened by the effect of internal random magnetic fields.