The Mössbauer Spectroscopy Laboratory has several sources and sample setups that enable spectra to be obtained over a wide temperature range, from 1.8 K to 1000 K, and under applied magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 7 Tesla. To this end, the laboratory is equipped with several systems, which we will now describe:

Ambient temperature to liquid nitrogen (77 K)

This system allows spectra to be obtained from 300 K to 77 K with excellent temperature precision and stability. The system is simple enough to allow measurements to be taken at any time.

Ambient temperature – 1000 K 

Like the previous system, this one is also very simple to use, making it suitable for routine measurements. However, it has the drawback that the sample usually needs to be mixed with boron nitride to ensure there is enough material to prepare a pellet for insertion into the furnace.

Spectromag

This Oxford Instruments cryostat allows measurements to be taken from 300 K to 1.8 K, with the option of applying a magnetic field of up to 7 tesla. The complexity of the system and the requirements it entails mean that it is not as easy to use as the previous models.