Hyperfine field andbeta-decay of142Pr in PrNi studied by low temperature nuclear orientation

The technique of low-temperature nuclear orientation was used to polarize the ground state of¹⁴²Pr nuclei in PrNi single crystal. From the temperature dependence of -ray anisotropy; the hyperfine field was deduced as 290(10) T with a good-site fraction of 83(5)%. The present result confirms that the beta decay of¹⁴²Pr proceeds mainly via the J =0 matrix element.     

Location and associated hyperfine properties of μ+ in La2CuO4

The location of the positive muon used as a probe in highT _c systems is investigated using the unrestricted Hartree-Fock cluster procedure. Our calculations indicate that ⁺ is located in thea–c plane at a distance of 1.08 Å from the apical oxygen at a ⁺-O(a)-Cu angle of 25°. The hyperfine field at this site is also calculated. Our results show the importance of including the local contact and dipolar contributions to the hyperfine field which arise from the unpaired electron spin distribution in the vicinity of the muon.     

The183Re ground state dipole moment and nuclear spin-lattice relaxation of Re in Fe

The hyperfine interaction of the system¹⁸³Re(70d)Fe has been investigated with the NMR/ON technique. With the hyperfine field valueB _hf(ReFe)=–76.0(1.5) T the ground state magnetic moment was determined as: (5/2⁺,¹⁸³Re)=+3.12(6) _N. The field dependent nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time has been measured. The result for the high-field relaxation rateR _exp=1.65(5)·10^–15 T ²s K^–1 is explained in terms of indirect spin-wave interaction.     

Comparative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of As-Grown and Annealed LiInSe2 Ternary Compounds

Magnetic properties of Pm ions in NdNiAl₄ were investigated by low-temperature nuclear orientation of ¹⁴⁴Pm. The observed γ-ray anisotropy as a function of external fields revealed a change in the magnetic structure of Pm ions at the metamagnetic phase transition of NdNiAl₄. The extracted hyperfine field was 50(5) T which is substantially smaller than those previously reported.     

Low-field anomalous muonium depolarization in isotopically enriched germanium

The depolarization rate of anomalous muonium, Mu^*, in germanium isotopically enriched in⁷⁴Ge (I=0) was measured as a function of field. The concentration of⁷³Ge (I=9/2) was about 9 times less than natural abundance. The depolarization rate at 10 K in this isotopically enriched crystal for both lines of those Mu^* centers whose symmetry axes make an angle of 90° to the field is less than 1sec^–1 at all fields down to the lowest one measured, 14.5 gauss. This is in sharp contrast to the wide lines reported at low field in germanium having natural isotopic abundance. The spectrum of Mu^* in the isotopically enriched Ge crystal was also seen at zero field. These results confirm that the increased depolarization rate for Mu^* at low fields arises from unresolved nuclear hyperfine structure. The depolarization rates observed were consistent with an average hyperfine interaction with a single⁷³Ge nucleus of 2.5 MHz, a value requiring nearly 1% of the spin density to be on a typical atom.     

Molecular field effects in Mössbauer spectra of FeSb2O4

Mössbauer effect measurements have been made using⁵⁷Fe in FeSb₂O₄. At liquid helium temperature a combined electric quadrupole and magnetic hyperfine interaction is observed withH _eff=185±2 kOe, 1/2e ² qQ=2.94±0.09 mm/sec and =0.37±0.09. The direction ofH _eff is perpendicular to thec axis of the crystal and at 33° to the <110> direction. Thec axis is determined to be the direction of the intermediate principal EFG tensor axis. Calculations are made using a molecular field term in the Hamiltonian for the Fe²⁺ orbitals. The results of these calculations are used to explain the observed values of 1/2e ² qQ and and permit a determination of the ordring of the T_2g orbitals among the T_2g energy levels.     

Mössbauer study of iron-doped lithium niobate

From Mössbauer spectra of LiNbO₃⁵⁷Fe(III) single crystals under external fields of 4.92 and 6.2 T, the crystal field and hyperfine parameters are determined. Transmission integral fits indicate a Boltzmann population of the Fe(III) electronic levels with a spin temperature equal to the sample temperature. Spectra at external fields of 0 T and 19 mT can be satisfactorily simulated using an effective spin 1/2,g-factors calculated from spin-expectation values and an internal averaged dipole field of 5.5 mT inclined 20 to thec-axis. The simulations indicate cross-relaxation between Nb and Li nuclear spins and the Fe(III) electronic spin.     

Point-contact measurements of CeB6 and CeCu6 in high magnetic fields

Epitaxial YBa₂Cu₄O₇-thin films with thec-axis oriented perpendicular to the film plane were prepared bydc-sputtering from a single stoichiometric target on (100) SrTiO₃-substrates. Typical values of the inductively measured superconducting transitions were about 90 K with a width less than 0.5 K. Critical current densities were measured on 5 to 10 m wide strips as function of magnetic field and temperature. The temperature dependences ofj _c follow a universal functionj _c(B,T)=j _c ^* (T=0,B)·(1–T/T _c (B)) with =1.5±0.1. ForB=0 andT=77 K we obtainedj _c =4·10⁶ A/cm². The field dependence of the resistive transitions was measured with the magnetic field parallel to thec-axis. The slope of the upper critical fieldB _c2 (T) was determined for different criteria. The carrier concentration evaluated from Hall-effect measurements was found to decrease linearly from one per unit cell at 240 K with decreasing temperature extrapolating nearly through zero forT=0. Highly resolved angular dependent measurements of the critical current density withB perpendicular to the current but tilted from thec-axis show a very strong and sharp enhancement ofj _c for the magnetic field parallel to the (CuO₂)-layers (Bc). Additionally to this phenomenon, which is caused by an intrinsic pinning mechanism due to the layered structure of high-T _c -superconductors the influence of the anisotropy of the upper critical field onj _c (B, T, ) is evident nearT _c .     

Mössbauer study of spin states in amorphous Fe100−x Zr x alloys

Spin states in amorphous Fe_100–x Zr_x (7x12) are investigated using hyperfine field distributions (HFDs) as derived from⁵⁷Fe transmission Mössbauer experiments. The existence of low-, medium- and high-spin states is demonstrated by three-dimensional projections of HFDs. Temperature dependences of the corresponding average values revealed anomalous behaviour in the vicinity ofT _fc. An increase in the hyperfine magnetic fields observed towards low temperatures is discussed in terms of a ferromagnet-to-spin-glass transition. Utilizing also theT _c values, which were obtained from a thermal scanning Mössbauer technique, we propose a diagram of spin states in amorphous Fe-Zr.     

Calculation of hyperfine interactions measured by magnetic decoupling in oxygen ions

Magnetic hyperfine interactions in highly stripped oxygen ions recoiling in vacuum have been measured with perturbed angular correlations. The second excited state of¹⁶O(I =3^–,E _X=6.13 MeV, =26.6 psec, |g|=0.55) was produced with the nuclear reactions¹⁹F(p,)¹⁶O and¹⁶O(,)¹⁶O and the angular correlation of the -rays observed in coincidence with particles emitted at 180°. Five recoil velocities between 1.0 and 3.3% c produced average ion charge states from 2.1 to 5.5. The perturbation of the angular correlation and hence the decoupling of the hyperfine interactions was observed as a function of an external axial magnetic field varied between 0 and 33 kG. The perturbation is expected to arise primarily from hyperfine interactions of unpaired 1s electrons with smaller contributions from 2s electrons and other configurations. The maximum external field was strong enough to decouple all hyperfine interactions except that of the 1s electrons. The decoupling curves obtained were successfully fitted by calculations using the hyperfine interactions of the pertinent atomic Hartree-Fock-Slater orbitals.Supported in part by the National Science Foundation.     

Hyperfine Interactions of Pm in Nd and Gd Hosts

Time differential perturbed angular correlation measurements were carried out using short lived isomeric 5/2⁺ state in ¹⁴⁷Pm to investigate the magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions in Nd and Gd hosts at different temperatures. At 10 K the magnetic hyperfine fields at ¹⁴⁷Pm in Nd and Gd hosts are 361(42) kG and 256(30) kG, respectively, and are very low as compared to the free-ion value while the electric field gradients are of comparable order. The magnetic hyperfine field in Gd is constant with temperature. The results are interpreted in terms of singlet ground state of Pm ion. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Annealing behavior ot trap-centers in silicon containing A-swirl defects

The annealing behavior of trap-centers was studied in float-zone silicon wafers containing A-swirl defects. Samples from areas of high and low A-swirl density were annealed in nitrogen ambient between 100° and 900 °C, and analysed using the Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy. The results indicate, that two levels atE _c }-0.07 eV, _n=4.6×10^–16 cm², andE _c–0.49eV, _n=6.6×10^–16cm² are caused by one defect, for which the silicon di-selfinterstitial is a likely interpretation. A level atE _c }-0.11 eV was assigned to interstitial carbon. Both defects annealed out at about 170 °C. After 600 °C annealing an additional level atE _c–0.2 eV was detected, which was attributed to an interstitial silicon carbon complex. Heat treatment at 800 °C generated a new level atE _c–0.49 eV, _n=2.9×10^–16cm² only in the area of high A-swirl defect density. This level was also observed after oxidation and subsequent annealing of silicon.     

The lattice location and hyperfine field of implanted Yb in Fe as a function of annealing temperature

A combined study has been made of the lattice location and hyperfine field of Yb implanted into Fe single crystals. The location has been determined by ion channeling and back-scattering, the hyperfine field by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) measurements on¹⁶⁹Yb (decaying to excited states in¹⁶⁹Tm). The channeling experiments indicate that initially about 60% of the Yb atoms occupy substitutional sites in the Fe lattice, while the remaining atoms are not in any specific crystallographic site. On annealing, Yb migrates from substitutional to non-substitutional sites. No Yb atoms remain substitutional after a 600°C anneal. By making PAC measurements at two temperatures for two - cascades in¹⁶⁹Tm, it is found that the PAC pattern can be described using a combined static and time-dependent magnetic interaction. The PAC results show that the average hyperfine field and relaxation parameter decrease on annealing, and that the field disappears after a 600°C anneal. The correlation between the location and the hyperfine field is discussed. A comparison of the results with previous Mössbauer results for¹⁵¹Gd implanted in Fe, together with relaxation parameter measurements on a¹⁶⁹Yb₂O₃ source, suggests that the non-substitutional Yb is internally oxidized in the Fe host.Work partly carried out while at the Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford, England and Nuclear Physics Division, AERE, Harwell, England.     

Magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions in the system EuSm

Magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions in the system EuSm were investigated with the isomeric 11/2^– state in¹⁴⁵Eu by applying the time-differential perturbed angular distribution (TDPAD) method. The temperature dependence of paramagnetism was studied between 90 K and 1000 K by measuring the magnetic hyperfine interaction frequency _L=g_NN¹ (T)B_ext. The paramagnetic correction factor strictly follows the Curie-Weiss relation =1+C/(T-), withC=–50(2) K and =–29(5) K. This is compatible with a hyperfine field ofB _int(0)=–25(1) T, a valence of two for Eu in Sm, and antiferromagnetic order at low temperatures.The temperature dependence of the electric quandrupole coupling constant v_Q, investigated between 100 K and 400 K, can be reproduced by a linear temperature variation v_Q(T)=v_Q(0) (1-AT), with v_Q(0)=16.2(4) MHz andA=7.2(8)·10^–4 K^–1.The paramagnetic relaxation time _rel of the nuclear alignment is proportional to the temperature of the sample, with _rel T^–1=3.7(2) ·10^–9s K^–1.This leads to the Korringa relation _J T=const=5.1(5)·10^–11s K for the relaxation time of the 4f electronic spinJ. Assuming that the relaxation ofJ is mainly caused by exchange interaction between conduction electrons and localized 4f electrons at the Eu site, an exchange integral of |J _eff|=0.10(2) eV can be deduced.     

Transport critical-current and voltage-current characteristics of Bi(2223) silver-clamped thick films

The transport critical current properties of Bi(2223) silver-clamped thick films are studied by the measurement of its dependence on magnetic field and temperature close to T _c. It is found that the transport critical current follows a power law J _c(1–T/T _c)^3/2 for the sample with J _c>2.0×10⁴ A/cm² (77K, zero field) and that J _c(H) is basically reversible for increasing and decreasing magnetic field. After the transport current exceeds the critical current, the voltage-current (V-I) characteristics show a flux-creep-like behaviour until they smoothly join the flux-flow state. From the measurement of V-I curves, the pinning property of the sample may be estimated using the flux-creep mode. The flux-flow resistance is found to have a nonlinear magnetic field dependence.     

Magnetic hyperfine field of K,Ca and Ti in iron

The magnetic hyperfine field for K, Ca, Ti in iron has been measured by means of time differential observation of the perturbed angular distribution of gamma rays emitted in the reactions³⁷Cl(,n)⁴⁰K,³⁹K(, p)⁴²Ca and⁴²Ca(, n)⁴⁵Ti. The valuesH _hf(0)=–66 (6)kG, –96(4) kG, –122(15) kG, respectively, were extrapolated at 0°K. In the case of calcium the presence of a satellite field was confirmed with a strength of –45(4)kG. In the case of potassium most of the implanted nuclei do not contribute to the Larmor precession.     

Hyperfine field of samarium in europium monoxide

The hyperfine magnetic field at samarium in europium monoxide at 4.2 K was measured using the time-differential perturbed angular correlation technique. The resultH _hf=147.9±9.7 T indicates a 4f contribution of 130±20 T which is 60% less than the free ion value for Sm³⁺. It is suggested that there exists crystal plus exchange field interactions causing admixtures of the first excited state of Sm³⁺ with its ground state.     

Observation ofμ − spin precession in ferromagnetic Ni and giant hyperfine anomaly

A ^–SR signal in nickel was found representing the first observation of ^–SR in ferromagnetic materials, and the hyperfine anomaly was determined to be –2.82±0.08% in comparison with the hyperfine field at dilute Co in Ni known from NMR.     

Excited Muonic Atom Scattering: New Adiabatic Approach

New results on the applied field dependence of the NMR of ⁷⁵Se implanted in pure iron and oriented at millikelvin temperatures are reported. They yield the magnetic hyperfine field acting on Se nuclei present as dilute impurities in the iron matrix and the magnetic dipole moment of the 5/2⁺ ground state of ⁷⁵Se with significantly improved precision. The results are B _hf(SeFe) =+67.9(10)T and ||(⁷⁵Se) =0.683(10)_N. The improved value of the hyperfine field, with data from[2], gives the magnetic dipole moment of the 9/2⁺ ground state of ⁷³Se as ||=0.892(13)_N.