ANISOTROPY OF ANOMALOUS SCATTERING IN Sr(NO3)2

R. Fischer1,2 and A. Kirfel1

1 Mineralogisch-Petrologisches Institut, Poppelsdorfer Schloß, D-53115 Bonn
2 c/o HASYLAB am DESY, Notkestr. 85, D-22607 Hamburg

In the presence of AAS the x-ray diffraction intensities can no longer be described by scalar scattering factors. Instead one has to use complex, energy dependent tensorial scattering factors which are in agreement with the point-symmetry of the absorbing atoms [1].

In most cases this scattering factor tensors of rank two where sufficient to describe the observed intensities, although some exceptions requiring tensors of higher rank were recently reported [2,5].

Consequences of the AAS are Y-dependent intensities and particularly presence of so called ``forbidden'' reflections with significant intensities in resonances in the energy region of the absorption edges.

The examination of the Y-dependence, I(Y,h) of ``forbidden'' reflections has proved to be the most fruitful method in the investigation of AAS.

During our test-measurements with the scope of finding further structures which show AAS properties we found in Sr(NO3)2 an unusual strong effect at the Sr K-absorption edge (16105 eV) [4].

Sr(NO3)2 crystallises in space-group Pa3_, a=7.781 A [3] with Sr in 4a (0,0,0; point-symmetry 3_). The observed effect can be explained as a consequence of the anisotropy of the Sr surrounding. Geometrically Sr is surrounded by a stretched, along [111] squeezed oxygen coordination polyhedra with two different Sr-O binding lengths, 2.71 and 2.82 A.

In the above picture the intensity of I(100, E) can be observed. The relative energy of the resonance to the energy of the K absorption edge can be determined from the superposed fluorescence spectra. Above the absorption edge a second, broader resonance of smaller intensity can be observed.

We thank W. Morgenroth (F1 / HASYLAB) and H.-G. Krane (D3 / HASYLAB) for experimental support. Financial support of this work by the BMBF is acknowledged.

  1. A. Kirfel, A. Petcov, & K. Eichhorn (1991), Acta Cryst. A47, 180-195.
  2. R. Fischer, H.-G. Krane & A. Kirfel, Z. Kristallogr. Suppl. 12, (1997), 32.
  3. H. Nowotny & G. Heger, Acta Cryst. C39, (1983), 952-956.
  4. R. Fischer & A. Kirfel, Z. Kristallogr. Suppl. 15, (1998), 156.
  5. D.H. Templeton & L.K. Templeton, Phys. Rev. B 49, 21, (1984), 14850-14853.