Nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy

The technique, often called NRVS, is specific for samples that contain nuclei that respond to Mössbauer spectroscopy, most commonly iron.

A novel aspect of the method is the ability to determine the 3D-trajectory of iron atoms within vibrational modes, providing a unique appraisal of DFT-prediction accuracy.

The number of scans (often recorded for 5 seconds every 0.2 meV) depends on the amount of Mössbauer-active nuclei in the sample.

The number of photons absorbed by the sample at any wavelength are measured by detecting the fluorescence emitted from the excited atom with an avalanche photodiode detector.

The resulting raw spectrum contains a high-intensity resonance that corresponds to the nuclear excited state of the probed nucleus.

Schematic of a synchrotron, which provides the incident X-ray beams for this technique.