The electric field gradient and its temperature dependence at111Cd in α-Uranium

Abstract

The magnitude and temperature dependence of the quadrupole interaction at the111Cd site in orthorhombic α-Uranium was investigated between 293 and 17 K. The parent activity111In was implanted into Uranium metal with an energy of 80 keV and the γ-γ TDPAC technique, applied to the 245 keV state in111Cd, was used to measure the quadrupole interaction frequency. The derived electric field gradient for Cd in Uranium was found to be highly asymmetric (η=1) and led to a quadrupole interaction frequency of νQ=7.10(7) MHz at 293 K. The temperature dependence of the quadrupole interaction is very strong, νQ increases to 14.3(2) MHz at 17 K and shows a linear dependence on the temperature.