The magnetic hyperfine field and the electric field gradient at181Ta impurities in Gd metal

The magnetic hyperfine fieldH _hf and the electric field gradientV _zz at¹⁸¹Ta impurties in metallic Gd were determined by time differential perturbed angular correlation measurements with the 133 keV K-conversion electron 482 keV -cascade of¹⁸¹Ta. The sources for these measurements were prepared by implantation of radioactive¹⁸¹Hf ions into Gd. The results are: |H _hf(TaGd; 77 K)|=285(14)kG, and |V _zz(TaGd; 330 K)|=5.32(15)·10¹⁷V/cm². The value ofH _hf fits well into the systematics for 5d impurities in Gd and indicates a positive core polarisation contribution, which is expected if the conduction electrons of Gd have to a large extent d-character. The electric field gradients of the 5d impurities in Gd are not consistent with a proportionality between the ionic and the electronic contribution.     

Orientation of the oxygen-induced non-axially symmetric electric field gradient at181Ta in Ta

The interaction of dilute¹⁸¹Ta in Ta with interstitial oxygen has been investigated via the γ-γ TDPAC-technique applied to the 482 keV state in¹⁸¹Ta. The trapping of Oxygen leading to a quadrupole interaction frequency ν_Q=580(5) MHz with an asymmetry parameter of η-0.37 (1) has been observed after melting the radioactive parent isotope¹⁸¹Hf with Ta. The temperature dependence of the quadrupole interaction frequency between 17 K and 293 K was found to be very weak whereas η varied by about 10%. In a single crystal experiment the orientation of the three principal axes of the electric field gradient leading to ν_Q was determined. The V_zz-axis points in <110>, the V_yy-axis in <100> and the V_xx-axis in <110> direction. These results can be understood in the charge cloud model, suggested by Wrede et al. /1/ for a similar situation found in the HfNb system.     

Electric field gradient in nanostructured SnO2 studied by means of PAC spectroscopy using 111Cd or 181Ta as probe nuclei

Electric quadrupole interactions were studied in pure and Mn-doped powder samples and thin films of SnO₂ using perturbed γγ angular correlation spectroscopy (PAC). The powder samples were prepared by Sol gel method and the thin film were prepared on the Si (100) substrate by sputtering technique using Sn in the oxygen atmosphere. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The thickness of the film was 100 nm. The average particle size of the SnO₂ powder samples was determined to be smaller than 60 nm. The radioactive ¹¹¹In and ¹⁸¹Hf tracers were introduced in the powder samples during the sol gel chemical process. Radioactive ¹¹¹In was implanted on the SnO₂ thin films using the University of Bonn ion implanter (BONIS). PAC measurements were carried out in a four BaF₂ detector spectrometer in the temperature range of 77–973 K for samples annealed at different temperatures. The PAC results for both nuclear probes show the presence of two electric quadrupole interactions. The major fractions in both cases correspond to the substitutional sites in the rutile phase of SnO₂. The results are compared with previous PAC measurements.     

Interaction of implanted181Hf/181Ta impurities with radiation induced lattice defects in platinum

Radioactive¹⁸¹Hf ions were implanted into polycristalline platinum foils at 293 K. The radiation damage produced during the implantations was detected by subsequent time-differential perturbed-angular-correlation measurements of the-radiation emitted by the¹⁸¹Hf daughter¹⁸¹Ta. After annealing of the samples between 630 K and 850 K a large fraction of the implanted impurities interacts with well defined nearby lattice defects, which are assumed to be vacancy loops.     

The magnetic hyperfine field at181Ta impurities in the 4f-ferromagnets Ho and Er

The magnetic hyperfine fieldH _hf at¹⁸¹Ta impurities in the ferromagnetic Rare Earth metals Ho and Er has been determined by time differential perturbed angular correlation measurements at 4.2 K. The results |H _hf(TaHo)|=101(8)kG |H _hf(TaEr)|= 94(8)kG together with the previously determined values ofH _hf(TaGd) andH _hf(TaDy) show that the magnetic hyperfine field at Ta impurities in the Rare Earth metals is predominantly due to the conduction electron polarization of the hosts.     

The nuclear quadrupole interaction at 111Cd and 181Ta sites in anatase and rutile TiO2: A TDPAC study

The nuclear quadrupole interaction of the I=5/2 state of the nuclear probes ¹¹¹Cd and ¹⁸¹Ta in the anatase and rutile polymorphs of bulk TiO₂ was studied using the time differential perturbed angular correlation (TDPAC) method. The fast–slow coincidence setup is based on CAMAC electronics. For anatase, the asymmetry parameter of the electric field gradient was η=0.22(1) and a quadrupole interaction frequency of ω_Q=44.01(3) Mrad/s was obtained for ¹⁸¹Ta. For rutile, the respective values are η=0.56(1) and ω_Q=130.07(9) Mrad/s. The values for rutile match closely with the literature values. In case of the ¹¹¹Cd probe produced from the beta decay of ¹¹¹Ag, the quadrupole interaction frequency for anatase was negligibly small as indicated by an unperturbed angular correlation in anatase. On the other hand for rutile the quadrupole frequency is ω_Q=61.74(2) Mrad/s and the asymmetry parameter η=0.23(1) for the ¹¹¹Cd probe. The results are interpreted in terms of the surrounding atom positions in the lattice and the charge state of the probe nucleus.     

The electric field gradient at111Cd in vanadium oxides

The electric field gradient (efg) of¹¹¹Cd in polycrystalline V₂O₅ was studied using perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy, with the¹¹¹In activity ion-implanted at 400 keV. Between the individual steps of an isochronal annealing program, a distinct efg (v _Q 1=88.1(3) MHz, ₁=0.62(2)) was recorded the contribution of which increased with annealing temperature up to 74% at 870 K. Corresponding X-ray analysis of inactive V₂O₅ samples, which underwent the same annealing treatment, proved that the sample always stayed as V₂O₅. Since V₂O₅ has only one equivalent cation site, it is concluded that this efg belongs to¹¹¹Cd at this site. Oxidation of a vanadium foil atT=675 and 800 K at =200 mbar also yielded this efg. From PAC measurements in VO₂, two well-defined efg's were found above and below the metal-semiconductor transition at 340 K, which are tentatively attributed to the monoclinic and the tetragonal phase.Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and DAAD.On leave from the University of Durban-Westville, South Africa.     

Pressure dependence of the electric field gradient at Cd impurities in antimony

The electric field gradient at¹¹¹Cd in Antimony was studied at hydrostatic pressures up to 7 kbar at 150 K, 293 K and 473 K. The logarithmic pressure derivatives, dlnq/dP, were found to be –67, –37 and –26 Mbar^–1 respectively. The isotropic volume dependence derived from these values was found to be positive and largely responsible for the anomalous temperature dependence, previously observed.     

Quadrupole interaction at181Ta in tellurium

The quandrupole interaction at¹⁸¹Ta in tellurium measured at various temperatures revealed two unique sites with an axially symmetric electric field gradient. These are interpreted as a near substitutional site with almost octahedral symmetry and a pure interstitial site in the tellurium lattice. The temperature dependence observed for QI frequencies corresponding to these sites supports this conclusion.     

Lattice Location of 181Ta and 111Cd Probes in Hafnium and Zirconium Aluminides Studied by Perturbed Angular Correlation

The perturbed angular correlation technique was applied to study the lattice location of the ¹¹¹In/¹¹¹Cd and ¹⁸¹Hf/¹⁸¹Ta probe atoms in hafnium and zirconium aluminides. Compounds of different stoichiometries and crystallographic structures were the subject of investigation. According to the expectation, in all investigated compounds ¹⁸¹Hf/¹⁸¹Ta probes occupy the Hf(Zr) crystallographic sites. The ¹¹¹In/¹¹¹Cd probes are placed at the sites of all constituent metals—aluminum, hafnium and zirconium, depending on the crystallographic structure of compound, concentration of the constituent metals and temperature of the sample.     

Quadrupole interaction at181Ta in selenium

The nuclear quadrupole interaction of Ta-181 in selenium was measured using perturbed angular correlation technique. The electric field gradient at room temperature is 4.56(32) × 10¹⁷ V/cm². The temperature dependence of EFG follows the usual T^3/2 behaviour.     

Sign of the electric field gradient at111Cd in Zr and Sb

The Β-γ TDPAC technique was applied to¹¹¹Ag implanted in Zr and Sb metal single crystals in order to determine sign and magnitude of the quadrupole interaction at the site of¹¹¹Cd in these metals. An analysis of the data taken at 293K yielded Ν_Q=+15.4(6) MHz for¹¹¹Cd in Zr and Ν_Q=?107.5(20) MHz for¹¹¹Cd in Sb. From these values electric field gradients of +7.3(8)×10¹⁶ V/cm² and ?5.56(62)×10¹⁷ V/cm² for Cd in Zr and Sb are derived respectively.     

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.     

The quadrupole interaction at181Ta in Zn

The quadrupole interaction (QI) in hexagonal close packed zinc lattice was measured using the 482 keV, 10.6 ns probe state of¹⁸¹Ta employing the time-differential perturbed angular correlation technique. The electric field gradient (EFG) at¹⁸¹Ta in Zn was derived from the measured quadrupole interaction frequency at room temperature asV _zz =12.202×10¹⁷ V/cm². The quadrupole interaction measured at various temperatures displayed normal temperature dependence similar to that seen by this probe in many non-cubic hosts.     

Quadrupole interaction at181Ta in BaHfO3

BaHfO₃ is prepared by sintering a mixture of BaCO₃ and HfO₂ giving the same heat treatments as for YBa₂Cu₃O_7– (YBCO). X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the formation of cubic BaHfO₃ along with some unreacted HfO₂. A¹⁸¹Ta TDPAC study of the sample, prepared using neutron-irradiated HfO₂ and BaCO₃, shows a relaxation process to be present in the sample. The value of the relaxation constant0.26 ns is unusually large and temperature independent.