The M ssbauer Effect in Tin from 120 K to the Melting Point

Abstract

Measurements have been made of the intensity of the recoilless resonance absorption of the 24 kev γ-ray from the decay of 119Snm in metallic tin from 120°K to the melting point. Values of the Debye-Waller factor deduced from these results tend towards the values calculated for a Debye Θ of 142°K at low temperatures; the behaviour of the Debye-Waller factor at higher temperatures indicates considerable anharmonicity of the lattice vibrations. Comparison with evidence from the thermal expansion and specific heat suggests that the quartic term in the interatomic potential is positive, and that the ratio of quartic to cubic terms is of the same order as the ratio of cubic to quadratic terms.