Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy: A Modern Tool to Pinpoint Site-Specific Cooperative Processes

Nuclear resonant vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) is a synchrotron radiation (SR)-based nuclear inelastic scattering spectroscopy that measures the phonons (i.e., vibrational modes) associated with the nuclear transition. It has distinct advantages over traditional vibration spectroscopy and has wide applications in physics, chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, materials sciences, and geology, as well as many other research areas. In this article, we present a scientific and figurative description of this yet modern tool for the potential users in various research fields in the future. In addition to short discussions on its development history, principles, and other theoretical issues, the focus of this article is on the experimental aspects, such as the instruments, the practical measurement issues, the data process, and a few examples of its applications. The article concludes with introduction to non-57Fe NRVS and an outlook on the impact from the future upgrade of SR rings.

Changes in the phonon density of states of Fe induced by external strain

Nuclear inelastic scattering of synchrotron radiation is used to study the changes induced by external tensile strain on the phonon density of states (pDOS) of polycrystalline Fe samples. The data are interpreted with the help of dedicated atomistic simulations. The longitudinal phonon peak at around 37 meV and also the second transverse peak at 27 meV are decreased under strain. This is caused by the production of defects under strain. Also the thermodynamic properties of the pDOS demonstrate a weakening of the force constants and of the mean phonon energy under strain. Remaining differences between experiment and simulation are discussed.

Application of Nuclear Inelastic Scattering Spectroscopy to the Frequency Scale Calibration of Ab Initio Calculated Phonon Density of States of Quasi-One-Dimensional Ternary Iron Chalcogenide RbFeSe2

This study aims to examine the applicability of nuclear inelastic scattering (NIS) and conventional Mössbauer spectroscopy for calibration of the frequency scale of ab initio calculated phonon density of states (PDOS) of iron ternary chalcogenides. NIS measurements are carried out on the quasi-one-dimensional ternary chalcogenide RbFeSe2 to obtain the partial PDOS of the iron atoms in the compound. We compare the experimental PDOS with our previous results on vibrational properties of RbFeSe2 obtained with density functional theory (DFT) ab initio calculations, conventional Mössbauer, and infra-red spectroscopies. The experimental PDOS measured by NIS is collated with the ab initio calculated one. The frequency correction factor for the ab initio results is determined as 1.077, in good agreement with value of 1.08 obtained previously from the temperature dependence of the Lamb–Mössbauer factor of the iron atoms in RbFeSe2. We conclude that nuclear inelastic scattering and temperature dependence of the Lamb–Mössbauer factor in conventional Mössbauer spectroscopy can be equally applied for evaluation of the frequency correction factor for ab initio calculated phonon density of iron of ternary chalcogenides.

Seismic detectability of carbonates in the deep Earth: A nuclear inelastic scattering study

Carbonates play an important role in the transport and storage of carbon in the Earth’s mantle. However, the abundance of carbon and carbonates in subduction zones is still an unknown quantity. To determine the most abundant accessory phases and how they influence the dynamical processes that operate within the Earth, investigations on the vibrational, elastic, and thermodynamic properties of these phases are crucial for interpreting seismological observations. Recently, the nuclear inelastic scattering (NIS) method has proved to be a useful tool to access information on the lattice dynamics, as well as to determine Debye sound velocities of Fe-bearing materials. Here we derive the acoustic velocities from two carbonate compositions in the FeCO3-MgCO3 binary system up to ~70 GPa using the NIS method. We conclude that more Mg-rich samples, in this case (Fe0.26Mg0.74)CO3, have ~19% higher sound velocities than the pure end-member Fe composition. In addition, we observed a significant velocity increase after the Fe2+ spin transition was complete. After laser heating of FeCO3 at lower mantle conditions, we observed a dramatic velocity drop, which is probably associated with thermal decomposition to another phase. Parallel to our NIS experiments, we conducted a single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) study to derive the equation of states of FeCO3 and (Fe0.26Mg0.74)CO3. The combined information from NIS (i.e., Debye velocities) and SCXRD (i.e., densities and bulk moduli) experiments enabled us to derive the primary and shear wave velocities of our samples. Our results are consistent with results obtained by other methods in previous studies, including Brillouin spectroscopy, inelastic X-ray scattering, and DFT calculations, supporting NIS as a reliable alternative method for studying the elastic properties of Fe-bearing systems at high pressures and temperatures. Finally, we discuss the seismic detectability of carbonates. We determine that nearly 22 wt% CO2 must be present in the subduction slab to detect a 1% shear wave velocity decrease compared to non-carbonated lithologies at the transition zone to lower mantle boundary depths.

A portable on-axis laser-heating system for near-90° X-ray spectroscopy: application to ferropericlase and iron silicide

A portable IR fiber laser-heating system, optimized for X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and nuclear inelastic scattering (NIS) spectroscopy with signal collection through the radial opening of diamond anvil cells near 90°with respect to the incident X-ray beam, is presented. The system offers double-sided on-axis heating by a single laser source and zero attenuation of incoming X-rays other than by the high-pressure environment. A description of the system, which has been tested for pressures above 100 GPa and temperatures up to 3000 K, is given. The XES spectra of laser-heated Mg0.67Fe0.33O demonstrate the potential to map the iron spin state in the pressure–temperature range of the Earth's lower mantle, and the NIS spectra of laser-heated FeSi give access to the sound velocity of this candidate of a phase inside the Earth's core. This portable system represents one of the few bridges across the gap between laser heating and high-resolution X-ray spectroscopies with signal collection near 90°.

High-pressure nuclear inelastic scattering with backscattering monochromatization

The capability to perform high-pressure low-temperature nuclear inelastic scattering on 125Te and 121Sb with a sapphire backscattering monochromator is presented. This technique was applied to measure nuclear inelastic scattering in TeO2 at pressures up to 10 GPa and temperatures down to 25 K. The evaluated partial Te densities of phonon states were compared with theoretical calculations and with Raman scattering measured under the same conditions. The high-pressure cell developed in this work can also be used for other techniques at pressures up to at least 100 GPa.

Vibrational properties and cooperativity of the 3D spin crossover network [Fe(pyrazine)][Pt(CN)4]

Nuclear inelastic scattering experiments and DFT calculations have been performed to explore the vibrational properties and molecular modes for the high-spin and low-spin phases of the spin crossover network [Fe(pyrazine)][Pt(CN)4].

SciPhon: a data analysis software for nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering with applications to Fe, Kr, Sn, Eu and Dy

The synchrotron radiation technique of nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (NRIXS), also known as nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy or nuclear inelastic scattering, provides a wealth of information on the vibrational properties of solids. It has found applications in studies of lattice dynamics and elasticity, superconductivity, heme biochemistry, seismology, isotope geochemistry and many other fields. It involves probing the vibrational modes of solids by using the nuclear resonance of Mössbauer isotopes such as 57Fe, 83Kr, 119Sn, 151Eu and 161Dy. After data reduction, it provides the partial phonon density of states of the Mössbauer isotope that is investigated, as well as many other derived quantities such as the mean force constant of the chemical bonds and the Debye velocity. The data reduction is, however, not straightforward and involves removal of the elastic peak, normalization and Fourier–Log transformation. Furthermore, some of the quantities derived are highly sensitive to details in the baseline correction. A software package and several novel procedures to streamline and hopefully improve the reduction of the NRIXS data generated at sector 3ID of the Advanced Photon Source have been developed. The graphical user interface software is named SciPhon and runs as a Mathematica package. It is easily portable to other platforms and can be easily adapted for reducing data generated at other beamlines. Several tests and comparisons are presented that demonstrate the usefulness of this software, whose results have already been used in several publications. Here, the SciPhon software is used to reduce Kr, Sn, Eu and Dy NRIXS data, and potential implications for interpreting natural isotopic variations in those systems are discussed.