A MOSSBAUER MILLIPROBE - PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Mossbauer spectra of absorbers with diameters smaller than 500 mu m can be recorded using a high specific activity Mossbauer source. The spectrum quality as defined by the signal/noise ratio has been calculated for Fe-57 experiments as a function of absorber composition, thickness and diameter for both conventional and high specific activity source configurations. Results are in excellent agreement with experimental data for sodium nitroprusside, and demonstrate that high quality Mossbauer spectra can be collected for absorbers with diameters smaller than 500 mu m if electronic absorption is low.