Application of the Mössbauer effect to the study of elastic and inelastic scattering of γ-rays in amorphous SiO2

The Mössbauer effect was used to separate the elastic and inelastic scatterings of the Fe57 14.4 keV γ-rays in amorphous SiO2. Both the elastic and inelastic intensities were measured as a function of sin θ/λ. The root-mean square vibrational amplitude of the atoms, as derived from the temperature dependence of the intensity of the elastic scattering, was {article}{empty}{document}√ u²{document} = (0.085 ± 0.009) Å at T = 295 °K. The intensity of the inelastic scattering was also measured as a function of temperature, in the range 295 to 870 °K. When corrected for the amount of Compton scattering, the resultant intensity of the thermal diffuse scattering was found to depend on temperature and on sin θ/λ in the way predicted for the Einstein solid.