Systematics of Hyperfine Fields in an Iron Lattice

Abstract

A survey is presented of the observed hyperfine fields at nuclei of impurities dissolved in metallic iron. Estimates are made from atomic hfs constants of the contributions to internal fields that might be expected on the basis of conduction-electron polarization. The observed fields in several heavy elements are roughly proportional to the fields attributed to the outer $s$ electrons in the free atoms. The signs and magnitudes, and especially the $Z$ dependence, of these fields are compatible with the conduction-electron polarization mechanism. Other internal fields, particularly for Cs and Ba in Fe, are predicted, to test this mechanism further. A tentative basis is thus established for estimating the hyperfine fields at impurities in iron. These estimates should be useful in planning Mössbauer or nuclear polarization experiments.