The Actinides: Electronic Structure and Related Properties

The Actinides: Electronic Structure and Related Properties, Volume I reviews major advances that have been made concerning the electronic structure and properties of actinide elements, alloys, and compounds. The electronic energy band structure and magnetic properties of the actinides are examined, and results of hyperfine and neutron scattering studies are presented. Comprised of six chapters, this book opens with a historical introduction to actinide research followed by a chapter on crystal field theory that discusses the behavior of 5f electrons in actinide compounds when exposed to strong crystal-field interactions, with emphasis on the strong intra-atomic correlation between electrons. The following chapters discuss the electronic energy band structure of the actinide metals, as derived from energy band theory; the magnetic properties of the actinide compounds in relation to their electronic structure; and the microscopic electronic properties of actinide metals and compounds obtained from nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron scattering studies. The final chapter summarizes the unique contribution by slow neutron-scattering experiments. This volume will be useful to scientists involved in work on the actinides as well as newcomers in the field.

List of Contributors

Preface

Contents of Volume II

Historical Introduction

References

1. Crystal Field Theory

I. Survey of Theoretical Background

II. The Crystal Field Theory

III. Connection with Experimentally Observable Quantities

IV. Summary

Appendix: Evaluation of Matrix Elements of Spin and Orbital Angular Momentum Operators

References

2. Electronic Energy Band Structure of the Actinide Metals

I. Introduction

II. Energy Bands in Solids: The Relativistic Augmented-Plane-Wave Method

III. Energy-Band Structure of the "Light" Actinides: Itinerant f States?

IV. The "Heavy" Actinides: A Second Rare-Earth Series

References

3. Magnetic Properties of Actinide Compounds

I. Introduction

II. General Considerations

III. Oxides, Halides, and Other Salts

IV. AnX Compounds

V. An3X4 and An2X3 Compounds

VI. AnX2 Compounds

VII. AnX3 Compounds

VIII. Miscellaneous Compounds

References

4. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Electronic Structure of the Actinides

I. Introduction

II. Magnetic Resonance Theory

III. Actinide Metals

IV. NaCl-Type Compounds

V. Cubic Laves Phases - U1-xPuxAl2

VI. Hydrides

VII. Survey of Miscellaneous Actinide Compounds

VIII. Survey of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of Actinide Ions

IX. Summary

References

5. Hyperfine Studies in the Actinide Series Using Mossbauer Resonance and Angular Correlation Techniques

I. Introduction

II. Experimental Methods

III. Hyperfine Interactions

IV. Experimental Results

V. Conclusion

Appendices

References

6. Neutron Scattering Studies of the Actinides

I. Introduction

II. Crystallographic Studies

III. Magnetic Properties of Actinide Compounds

IV. The Magnetic Form Factor

V. Inelastic Neutron Studies

References

Index to Volume I

Index to Volume II