An Introduction to Mössbauer Studies of Magnetic Materials

A straightforward introduction to Mossbauer spectroscopy is presented along with a brief background to its discovery over 25 years ago. Several applications of Mossbauer spectroscopy in the study of condensed matter are described. The examples are based on recent investigations of the mixed magnetic AuFe system and amorphous alloys and show how Mossbauer spectroscopy can be used to obtain information on local atomic order, magnetic phases and texture. The diverse range of applications of Mossbauer spectroscopy is outlined, including a brief discussion of its use in topics of current interest in metal physics.