Mössbauer experiments on bismuth-antimony alloys

Alloys of bismuth and antimony, with compositions ranging from 5 to 100% Sb were investigated by Mössbauer spectrometry at 80°K using the 37.2keV γ-ray of ¹²¹Sb. The spectrum was a single line pattern for all compositions, the isomer shift being distinctly more negative for the semiconductor compositions (−3.27 ± 0.4 mm/sec, referred to InSb, for Bi₇₅ Sb₂₅) than for the semimetallic range. The linewidth was also a minimum for the Bi₇₅ Sb₂₅ composition, where the FWHM was 2.62±0.16 mm/sec. This linewidth was typically about 3 mm/sec for the semimetallic region.