Parametric Mössbauer radiation source

Numerous applications of Mössbauer spectroscopy are related to a unique resolution of absorption spectra of resonant radiation in crystals, when the nucleus absorbs a photon without a recoil. However, the narrow nuclear linewidth renders efficient driving of the nuclei challenging, restricting preci...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: O. D. Skoromnik, I. D. Feranchuk, J. Evers, C. H. Keitel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2022-04-01
Series:Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.25.040704
Description
Summary:Numerous applications of Mössbauer spectroscopy are related to a unique resolution of absorption spectra of resonant radiation in crystals, when the nucleus absorbs a photon without a recoil. However, the narrow nuclear linewidth renders efficient driving of the nuclei challenging, restricting precision spectroscopy, nuclear inelastic scattering and nuclear quantum optics. Moreover, the need for dedicated x-ray optics restricts access to only few isotopes, impeding precision spectroscopy of a wider class of systems. Here, we put forward a novel Mössbauer source, which offers resonant photon flux for a large variety of Mössbauer isotopes with strongly suppressed electronic background. It is based on relativistic electrons moving through a crystal and emitting parametric Mössbauer radiation essentially unattenuated by electronic absorption. As a result, a collimated beam of resonant photons is formed, without the need for additional monochromatization. We envision the extension of high-precision Mössbauer spectroscopy to a wide range of isotopes at accelerator facilities, also using dumped electron beams.
ISSN:2469-9888