Unusual dynamics of Fe atoms in a chromium matrix.

(57)Fe site Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) was used to investigate the dynamics of (57)Fe atoms embedded in a chromium lattice as impurities. From the Mössbauer spectra recorded in the temperature range of 80-350 K, a temperature dependence of the Lamb-Mössbauer factor, f, was determined. The latter revealed an unusual dynamics of (57)Fe atoms, namely a harmonic mode below T≈145 K with a characteristic effective Debye temperature Θ(eff) = 190.2 K and a strongly anharmonic one above T≈145 K. The latter mode exists in two clearly defined temperature intervals with significantly different Θ(eff) values, namely (i) ∼155 K for ∼145 K ≤ T ≤ ∼240 K and the record-high anharmonic coefficient ε = -25.8 × 10(-4) K(-1), and (ii) ∼151 K for T ≥ ∼240 K with ε = -14 × 10(-4) K(-1). Based on Visscher's theory, the record-low value of the relative binding force constant for Fe atoms was determined as 0.0997 for the harmonic regime. It is suggested that the unusual dynamics observed in this study might be related to the underlying spin-, charge- and strain-density waves of chromium.