Mössbauer Spectra of Inorganic Compounds: Bonding and Structure

TLDR: In this article, the authors compare the performance of Mossbauer spectroscopy and ultraviolet spectroscopic methods, and show that the differences in spectra can be attributed to the hyperfine interactions; the interactions between the nuclear charge distribution, and the extranuclear electric and magnetic fields.

Abstract: Publisher Summary Mossbauer spectroscopy can be likened to ultraviolet spectroscopy. Both techniques employ a source of radiation, an absorber and a detector. In Mossbauer spectroscopy, we consider transitions between nuclear energy levels with the emission and absorption of y rays; whereas, in ultraviolet spectroscopy, we consider the transitions between electronic energy levels with the emission and absorption of ultraviolet radiation. To observe resonance, a range of source photon energies is scanned: in ultraviolet by the use of a prism or grating, and in Mossbauer by employing the Doppler effect. The energy of the y ray (E,) is varied by the well-known Doppler formula d E = (V/C)E, where AE = change in energy of y photon, 11 = velocity of source relative to the absorber, and c = velocity of light. As in ultraviolet, absorption is plotted versus the energy of source photon (usually in velocity units for Mossbauer). Different compounds of one isotope give different spectra— that is, the nuclear energy levels are sensitive to the extranuclear environment. These differences in spectra can be attributed to the hyperfine interactions; the interactions between the nuclear charge distribution, and the extranuclear electric and magnetic fields. These hyperfine interactions give rise to the isomer shift (IS.) , the quadrupole splitting (Q.S.), and the magnetic Zeeman splitting.