Magnetism and Lattice Dynamics of Nanoscale Structures Studied by Nuclear Resonant Scattering of Synchrotron Radiation

Abstract

Nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation is applied to investigate the magnetic structure and the lattice dynamics of nanoscale systems. The outstanding brilliance of modern synchrotron radiation sources allows for sensitivities to smallest amounts of material. Due to the isotopic sensitivity of the scattering process, ultrathin probe layers of Mössbauer isotopes can be used to map out the magnetic and vibrational structure of thin films with sub-nm spatial resolution. Elastic nuclear resonant scattering is applied to determine the magnetic spin structure of an exchange-coupled bilayer system. Inelastic nuclear resonant scattering was used to determine the vibrational density of states in Fe islands on the W(110) surface.