Study of hyperfine interactions in the intermetallic compound CePd2Si2 using PAC technique with 111Cd as probe nuclei

Perturbed γ???γ angular correlation spectroscopy (PAC) has been used to investigate the hyperfine interactions in the intermetallic compound CePd₂Si₂ using ¹¹¹In→¹¹¹Cd probe nuclei. Samples of CePd₂Si₂ were prepared by melting constituent elements in an arc furnace under pure argon atmosphere. Carrier-free ¹¹¹In nuclei were introduced into the samples by thermal diffusion at 800°C in vacuum during 12 h. The measurements were performed in the temperature range of 4.2–300 K. Above the magnetic transition temperature (T _N ?=?10 K), the results show two distinct and well defined quadrupole interactions that were assigned to probe nuclei occupying Ce and Si sites in the compound. The quadrupole frequencies were found to decrease linearly with increasing temperature. The PAC spectra taken below 10 K were analyzed with a model including combined electric quadrupole plus magnetic dipole interactions, from which the hyperfine magnetic field was determined.     

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.     

Study of magnetic behaviour of CeRh3B2 using111Cd probe

Using¹¹¹Cd probe nuclei, the transferredH _hf(T) is measured down to 35 K in CeRh₃B₂ using TDPAC technique. The angle β between the EFG and the direction of magnetization is obtained to be 90°. The observed smallH _hf(T) may be a consequence of the reduced moment on Ce in CeRh₃B₂.     

Study of hyperfine interactions in pure and Co-doped CeO2 nanoparticles by PAC spectroscopy using 111Cd

In this work we have used the Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) technique to measure the hyperfine interactions in pure nanostructured (crystallite size around 70 nm) as well as doped with 3d transition metal Co (3 at. %) CeO₂ samples. The PAC measurements were performed at different temperatures between 23 and 527°C. The results did not reveal any evidence of hyperfine magnetic interactions. Spectra obtained presented three major frequencies related to substitutional sites in CeO₂, grain boundary sites and intrinsic defect related sites.     

Study of electric quadrupole interactions at 111Cd on Zn sites in RZn (R = Ce, Gd, Tb, Dy) compounds using the PAC spectroscopy

Nuclear quadrupole interactions at Zn sites in the intermetallic compounds RZn (R = Ce, Gd, Tb, Dy) have been investigated by perturbed gamma-gamma angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using ¹¹¹In(¹¹¹Cd) as probe nuclei. Measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 10–295 K. These compounds exhibit CsCl type cubic structure and while CeZn shows antiferromagnetic behaviour, the compounds GdZn, TbZn, DyZn are ferromagnetic. The results show that the EFG in these compounds is sensitive to the distribution of rare-earth 4f-electron charges.     

111Cd PAC Study of Gd–Ni Intermetallic Compounds

This paper presents a perturbed angular correlation study of the magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions of ¹¹¹Cd on Gd sites of the Gd–Ni intermetallic compounds GdNi, GdNi₂, GdNi₃, Gd₂Ni₇, GdNi₅ and Gd₂Ni₁₇.     

Phase transitions in the SrHfO3 perovskite measured with 111In/111Cd PAC

The temperature dependence of the hyperfine parameters in SrHfO₃ powder samples has been investigated by means of Perturbed Angular Correlation spectroscopy using implanted ¹¹¹In probes. Three quadrupole interactions have been established, with the largest fraction showing a pronounced dynamic interaction. We assign this fraction to ¹¹¹In / ¹¹¹Cd probe atoms on substitutional Hf sites. The temperature dependence of the dynamic interaction has been associated to the Pnma↔Imma phase transition at ∼700 K. We discuss the results in relation to those obtained for ¹⁸¹Hf / ¹¹¹Ta-probes in AHfO₃ (A=Ba, Sr, Ca) and for ¹¹¹In / ¹¹¹Cd-probes in PbZrO₃ and BaTiO₃. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The magnetic moment of the 10+ isomer in140Ce and temperature dependence of the paramagnetism for Ce ions in BaO

The g-factor of the first 10⁺ isomer in¹⁴⁰Ce was determined by the time differential perturbed angular distribution method. The result is g(10⁺) = +1.03(4). The paramagnetism of Ce ions in BaO was studied in the temperature region 300 – 850 K.     

Hf3Al2 and Zr3Al2 Isostructural Aluminides Studied by PAC with 181Ta and 111Cd Probes

The electric quadrupole hyperfine interactions for ¹⁸¹Hf/¹⁸¹Ta and for ¹¹¹In/¹¹¹Cd probes in polycrystalline Zr₃Al₂ and Hf₃Al₂ compounds were measured in the temperature range 24–1100 K. The hyperfine quadrupole interaction parameters were determined after different doping techniques and heat treatments of the samples.¹⁸¹Hf/¹⁸¹Ta was found to substitute the Hf/Zr sites and the ¹¹¹In/¹¹¹Cd impurities appear to substitute both the 8(j) Al sites and the three nonequivalent Hf/Zr sites.     

Thermal and optical properties of Cd2SnO4 thin films using photoacoustic spectroscopy

Cadmium stannate (Cd₂SnO₄) thin films were prepared by the RF magnetron sputtering technique on glass substrates with substrate temperatures of room temperature (RT), 100°C, 200°C and 300°C. Photoacoustic analyses were made to obtain the thermal diffusivity and the optical bandgap values of the Cd₂SnO₄ thin films. The change in thermal diffusivity of the films with the substrate temperature was analyzed. The optical bandgap values obtained from the photoacoustic spectroscopy were compared with the values obtained from the optical transmittance spectra. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies confirm the formation of stoichiometric films. Surface morphological studies by atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the crystalline nature of the films deposited at 100°C.     

Characterization of Cd implanted and annealed GaAs and InP by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy

Investigations of ^111mCd implanted GaAs and InP crystals using the microscopically sensitive perturbed angular correlation technique show that the implanted Cd is incorporated on unperturbed substitutional lattice sites during rapid thermal annealing at significant lower temperatures than for electrical activation is required. In GaAs the higher implantation temperature at 473 K did not show any influence on this annealing stage, whereas as higher implantation dose hinders the annealing. We conclude that not only the local environment of the implant but also the long-range lattice perfection has to be restored for the electrical activation of implants in III-V compound semiconductors.     

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of the compound CeCuIn

Magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power and X-ray photoemission measurements were performed on a polycrystalline sample of CeCuIn. This compound crystallizes in a hexagonal structure of the ZrNiAl type. The magnetic data indicate that CeCuIn remains paramagnetic down to 1.9 K with a paramagnetic Curie temperature of −13 K and an effective magnetic moment equal to 2.5 μ_B. The electrical resistivity has metallic character, yet in the entire temperature range studied here, it is a strongly nonlinear function of temperature. The temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power is dominated by a small positive maximum near 76 K and a deep negative minimum at about 16 K. Above 150 K the thermopower exhibits a Mott's type behavior. The positive sign of the Seebeck coefficient in this temperature region indicates that the holes are dominant charge and heat carriers. The structure of Ce 3d_5/2 and Ce 3d_3/2 XPS spectra has been interpreted in terms of the Gunnarsson-Schönhammer theory. Three final-state contributions f⁰, f¹ and f² are clearly observed, which exhibit a spin-orbit splitting Δ_SO≈18.7 eV. The appearance of the 3d⁹f⁰ component is a clear evidence of the intermediate valence behavior of Ce. From the intensity ratio I(f⁰)/[I(f⁰)+I(f¹)+I(f²)] the 4f-occupation number is estimated to be 0.95. In turn, the ratio I(f²)/[I(f¹)+I(f²)]=0.08 yields a measure of the hybridization energy that is equal to 45 meV.     

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.     

Study of electric quadrupole interactions of111In and111Cd following ion implantation of111In into graphite

The nuclear electric quadrupole interaction of¹¹¹In ion-implanted in hightly oriented pyrolytic graphite has been observed by means of low-temperature nuclear orientation and by means of perturbed angular correlations. From the first kind of experiment, it is concluded that a relatively large number of indium nuclei experience a well-defined macroscopic orientation, which is partly lost after the radioactive decay to cadmium. Indeed, the second kind of experiment revealed a broad distribution of electrid field gradients interacting with the 245 keV Cd excited state, as well as a small faction experiencing a unique electric field gradient. The experimental results are compared with theoretical calculations of the electric field gradient at various lattice positions, in which carbon and indium electronic wavefunctions are allowed to hybridize. Lattice positions of the covalent indium atom between the graphite layers can explain the measured electric field gradient ofV ₂₂=+1.47(11)·10²² V/m², directed parallel to the graphitec-axis.     

Laser spectroscopy and the properties of light nuclei near the neutron drip line

The interesting nuclear structure phenomena observed in some light nuclei at the neutron drip line suggest the measurement of basic ground state properties such as spins, magnetic moments and electric quadrupole moments. Here it will be discussed what experiments are presently feasable using laser spectroscopy. For the outstanding example of a halo nucleus,¹¹Li, the development of a technique combining -asymmetry detected optical pumping in a fast beam with NMR spectroscopy has yielded pertinent results, the most recent of which is an experimental value of the nuclear quadrupole moment.     

Electrical and magnetic properties of CeNi4In with Ce in saturated valence state

Measurements of the electrical resistance, thermopower, and magnetic susceptibility of CeNi₄In have been carried out within the 4.2–400 K range, with Ce in saturated valence state. It is shown that this state of Ce in metallic compounds is characterized by formation of a fine structure in the density of states near the Fermi level, which is qualitatively different from the case of usual intermediate-valence state. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 7–9 (January 1998)