Hyperfine Spectroscopy with Nuclear Resonant Scattering of Synchrotron Radiation

Since its observation in 1985 nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation has become an excellent tool to study hyperfine interactions in solids. It combines the advantages of both local probe experiments and scattering techniques and gives valuable information on magnetic and electronic structures in case of NFS experiments. Experiments benefit from the outstanding beam quality of 3rd generation synchrotron radiation sources, as the small beam size and divergence. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

26 Al beam production by a solid state laser ion source at TRIUMF

Many experiments carried out at radioactive beam facilities require the production of intense, isotopically clean and isobar free beams of a particular isotope. At TRIUMF the addition of a resonant ionization laser ion source (TRILIS) enables a multitude of new beams and therefore new experiments to be carried out. ²⁶Al was one of the first radioactive ion beams delivered to an experiment using TRILIS. This paper outlines the development of the ²⁶Al ion beam for nuclear astrophysics.      

Temperature Dependence of the Magnetic Hyperfine Field at 140Ce on Gd Sites in GdAg Compound

Perturbed gamma–gamma angular correlation technique was used to measure the magnetic hyperfine field at Gd sites in the intermetallic compound GdAg using the ¹⁴⁰La→¹⁴⁰Ce nuclear probe. A major and well-defined magnetic interaction is observed at ¹⁴⁰Ce substituting Gd sites in GdAg below 130 K, corresponding to a ferromagnetic ordering of Gd moments. The temperature dependence of magnetic hyperfine field, however, shows a sharp deviation from an expected Brillouin-like behavior for temperatures below 75 K. This additional magnetic interaction is believed to result from the polarization of Ce spin moments induced by the magnetic field from Gd atoms.     

Polarization of Luminescence in the Nanostructure Si/CaF<Subscript>2</Subscript> Upon Polarization of the Nuclear Spins of Fluorine

The laws governing polarization of luminescence in the nanostructure Si/CaF₂ upon polarization of the spins of the fluorine nuclei by means of optical excitation of charge carriers are considered theoretically. The possibility of studying experimentally the properties of nuclear spins in analyzing luminescence is shown. The polarization of luminescence is most informative in the range of excitation rates of charge carriers from 3⋅10⁷ to 3⋅ 10⁸ sec⁻¹ with the CaF₂ layer of thickness from 0.6 to 0.8 nm and optical excitation polarization degree of 0.1. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 4, pp. 524–529, July–August, 2005.     

Electro-Strong Interaction and High Q 2 Events at HERA

A previously proposed unified field theory of electro-strong interactions requires two scales of length within hadrons, 10^–15 and 10^–18 m respectively, and the onset of new phenomena at the shorter scale. Studies at the HERA electron–proton collider at the shorter scale have revealed a possible excess of high-transverse momentum events, as expected, with Q ² 30,000 (GeV/c²). The collider is currently being upgraded. This will permit a clearer test to be carried out.     

The Nuclear Quadrupole Interaction of 204mPb in Lead Oxides

The nuclear quadrupole interaction of ^204mPb in lead oxides has been measured by γ–γ time differential perturbed angular correlation. Ab-initio calculations of the electric field gradients and X-ray diffraction allowed the assignment of the detected nuclear quadrupole interactions to the different Pb sites in the PbO phases litharge and massicote as well as in Pb₃O₄. The TDPAC probe ^204mPb was produced with a ²⁰⁴Bi/^204mPb-generator at the home laboratory at the University of Leipzig. The use of a high performance liquid chromatography system increased significantly the yield, the specific activity of ^204mPb, and reduced the acidic concentration of the eluate.     

Ab Initio Calculation of Hyperfine Interaction Parameters: Recent Evolutions, Recent Examples

For some years already, ab initio calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) belong to the toolbox of the field of hyperfine interaction studies. In this paper, the standard ab initio approach is schematically sketched. New features, methods and possibilities that broke through during the past few years are listed, and their relation to the standard approach is explained. All this is illustrated by some highlights of recent ab initio work done by the Nuclear Condensed Matter Group at the K.U.Leuven.     

Hyperfine anomaly for the ground state of 9Be+

The Fermi contact parameter which represents hyperfine structure (hfs) has been accurately calculated for the ground state of the ⁹Be⁺ ion in a previous paper. In the present paper, the calculated parameter is compared with a high precision measurement to derive the hfs anomaly (the Bohr-Weisskopf effect), which is caused by nuclear magnetization distribution. The obtained hfs anomaly shows a satisfactory agreement with the result of a nuclear shell model calculation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of the (Na) Sternheimer antishielding factor by Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na3OCl

The (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor γ_∞ (Na⁺) was determined by ²³Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na₃OCl. The quadrupolar coupling constant of the sodium ion in Na₃OCl was determined to QCC=11.34 MHz, which presents the largest coupling constant of a sodium nucleus observed so far. Applying a simple point charge model, the largest principal value of the electric field gradient at the sodium site was calculated to V_zz=−6.76762·10²⁰ V/m². From these values we calculated the (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor to γ_∞ (Na⁺)=−5.36. In sodium oxide, Na₂O, we observed an isotropic chemical shift of δ_CS=55.1 ppm, referenced to 1 M aqueous NaCl (δ=0 ppm).     

In vivo K, Na and H MR imaging using a triple resonant RF coil setup

The maintenance of a gradient of potassium and sodium ions across the cell membranes is essential for the physiological function of the mammal organism. The measurement of the spatial distribution of pathologically changing ion concentrations of ²³Na and ³⁹K with magnetic resonance imaging offers a promising approach in clinical diagnostics to measure tissue viability. Existing studies were focused mainly on ²³Na imaging as well as spectroscopy with only one post-mortem study for ³⁹K imaging. In this paper a triple resonant RF coil setup for the rat head at 9.4 T is presented for imaging of both nuclei (²³Na and ³⁹K) and the acquisition of anatomical proton images in the same experiment without moving the subject or the RF coil. In vivo MR images of ³⁹K and ²³Na in the rat brain were acquired as well as anatomical proton images in the same scanning session.     

Spectroscopy of Na: Bridging the two-proton radioactivity of Mg

The unbound nucleus ¹⁸Na, the intermediate nucleus in the two-proton radioactivity of ¹⁹Mg, was studied by the measurement of the resonant elastic scattering reaction H(¹⁷Ne,p)¹⁷Ne performed at 4 A.MeV using a radioactive beam from the SPIRAL Facility. Spectroscopic properties of the low-lying states were obtained in an R-matrix analysis of the excitation function.     

Nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic moments of scandium isotopes and isomers in the f7/2 shell

Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments on the ScII transition 3d4s ³D₂→3d4p ³F₃ at λ ≈ 363.1 nm were performed on the ^42–46Sc isotopic chain using an ion guide isotope separator with a cooler–buncher. Isotope and isomer shifts and hyperfine structures of five ground states and two isomers were measured. Preliminary results on the nuclear moments and charge radii changes deduced from these measurements are reported.     

On the temperature dependence of Na migration in thin SiO2 films during ToF-SIMS O2 depth profiling

The detection of Na in insulating samples by means of time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) depth profiling has always been a challenge. In particular the use of O₂⁺ as sputter species causes a severe artifact in the Na depth distribution due to Na migration under the influence of an internal electrical filed. In this paper we address the influence of the sample temperature on this artifact. It is shown that the transport of Na is a dynamic process in concordance with the proceeding sputter front. Low temperatures mitigated the migration process by reducing the Na mobility in the target. In the course of this work two sample types have been investigated: (i) A Na doped PMMA layer, deposited on a thin SiO₂ film. Here, the incorporation behavior of Na into SiO₂ during depth profiling is demonstrated. (ii) Na implanted into a thin SiO₂ film. By this sample type the migration behavior could be examined when defects, originating from the implantation process, are present in the SiO₂ target. In addition, we propose an approach for the evaluation of an implanted Na profile, which is unaffected by the migration process.     

A new method for suppressing the central transition in I=3/2 NMR spectra with a demonstration for 23Na in bovine articular cartilage

The splitting and the lineshape of the satellite transitions of 23Na are measures of the residual quadrupolar interaction and its distribution, which are related to the degrees of order and binding of sodium in biological tissues. However, these transitions are often masked by the stronger signals of the central transition and the isotropic sodium ions. A way to suppress the central signals, while preserving the lineshape and the intensity of the satellites, is suggested and tested on a liquid crystal and on bovine articular cartilage.     

Na and H NMR Microimaging of Intact Plants

²³Na NMR microimaging is described to map, for the first time, the sodium distribution in living plants. As an example, the response of 6-day-old seedlings of Ricinus communis to exposure to sodium chloride concentrations from 5 to 300 mM was observed in vivo using ²³Na as well as ¹H NMR microimaging. Experiments were performed at 11.75 T with a double resonant ²³Na–¹H probehead. The probehead was homebuilt and equipped with a climate chamber. T₁ and T₂ of ²³Na were measured in the cross section of the hypocotyl. Within 85 min ²³Na images with an in-plane resolution of 156 × 156 μm were acquired. With this spatial information, the different types of tissue in the hypocotyl can be discerned. The measurement time appears to be short compared to the time scale of sodium uptake and accumulation in the plant so that the kinetics of salt stress can be followed. In conclusion, ²³Na NMR microimaging promises great potential for physiological studies of the consequences of salt stress on the macroscopic level and thus may become a unique tool for characterizing plants with respect to salt tolerance and salt sensitivity.     

Status of the laser-microwave spectroscopy experiment for the hyperfine structure of 7Be

In order to investigate the nuclear magnetic moments and the magnetization distributions in the unstable nuclei of ^7,11Be, laser-microwave spectroscopy experiments using an ion-trap are under progress at IPNS, KEK-Tanashi. Status of the experiment for the first unstable isotope ⁷Be is reported. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An apparatus for NMR of laser polarized 129Xe on single crystal surfaces

Due to a lack of at least 2 orders of magnitude in the amount of sample nuclei, single crystal surfaces are out of reach for conventional NMR measurements. Our aim is to prove that highly polarized ¹²⁹Xe provides a technique to overcome this restriction. Therefore an apparatus for polarizing ¹²⁹Xe up to 0.7 by spin transfer from optically pumped Rb has been designed as well as an NMR spectrometer in combination with a UHV chamber with sample cleaning, cooling and characterization abilities and a special manifold of glass stopcocks with a liquid nitrogen cooled trap for dosing nitrogen free polarized Xe into the chamber onto the surface. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Noninvasive (1)H and (23)Na nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of ancient Egyptian human mummified tissue

Historic mummies are a unique example of the human desire for immortality. Therefore, it is not surprising that modern diagnostic imaging has been widely applied to study them. Yet, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of such old remains has never been successfully achieved in a noninvasive way without rehydration. Furthermore, the impact of artificial mummification as done in ancient Egypt by natron (a blend of NaCl, Na(2)CO(3), NaHCO(3) and NaP(2)SO(4)) on human tissue with a particular focus on the sodium spatial distribution has never been addressed. Here, we show for the very first time completely noninvasive (1)H and (23)Na imaging of an ancient Egyptian mummified finger by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Protons could be visualized by NMR only in the tissue close to surface and sodium primarily in the bone, while computer tomography images both, soft tissue and bone but does not distinguish between different chemical elements. The selective enrichment of sodium in the bone may by due to postmortem incorporation of (23)Na into the tissue by natron-based mummification because our reference measurement of a historical finger not subjected to artificial mummification showed no sodium signal at all. Our results demonstrate not only the general feasibility of nonclinical MRI to visualize historic dry human tissues but also shows the specific (1)H and (23)Na spatial distributions in such mummy tissue, which is particularly interesting for archeology and may open up a new application for MRI.     

The KLL Auger spectrum of neon from the EC-decay of Na

The low energy KLL Auger electrons of neon emitted after EC-decay of ²²Na have been investigated with a 4 eV instrumental resolution using an electrostatic spectrometer and a solid state radioactive source. This is the first experimental investigation of the KLL Auger spectrum of neon from the solid state. Relative intensities and energies of all resolved spectrum components were determined. Measured absolute energy of the dominant KL₂L₃(¹D) transition was found to be 824.5(19) eV, i.e. about 20 eV higher than that obtained in experiments with free Ne atoms. Within the experimental uncertainties, no influence of solid state effects on relative intensities of the KLL transitions was found.     

非晶Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9合金激光纳米化的超精细结构研究

在CO₂激光功率为50—300W、扫描速度为20mm/s、激光散光斑为20mm照射条件下 ，诱导非 晶Fe_735Cu₁Nb₃Si_135B9带中发生结构重组，产生定量纳米α-F e(Si)晶相形成双相组织结构材料. 利用穆斯堡尔谱研究了非晶Fe_735C u₁Nb₃Si_135B₉合金激光纳米化的 超精细结构. 实验结果表明，激光诱导非晶 Fe_735Cu₁Nb₃Si_135B ₉纳米化后，其超精细磁场的分布随 着激光功率变 化由单峰向双峰变化，在高功率辐照时， 出现了双峰分布，并且峰位向高场移动. 高激光 功率辐照非晶Fe_735Cu₁Nb₃Si_{135B9合金纳米晶化相有四种超精细结 构，即2个超精细磁场较小的初晶相和2个超精细磁场较大的纳米晶化相. 其中超精细磁场较 大(17—25MA/m)的α-Fe(Si)相为DO3结构. 关键词： 激光 纳米晶α-Fe（Si) 735}Cu₁Nb< sub>3Si_135B₉')" href="#">非晶Fe_735Cu₁Nb< sub>3Si_135B₉ 超精细结构 超精细磁场