Nuclear magnetic resonance in rare earth metals

This article describes the study, by nuclear magnetic resonance, of both static and dynamical aspects of the hyperfine interaction in rare earth metals, and illustrates the categories of information that can be obtained by using nuclei as microscopic probes in metallic media. The systems discussed include not only the pure rare earth metals but also their alloys and their metallic compounds with other elements. The behaviour of the hyperfine interaction in the various magnetic phases of these metals is discussed in terms of a simple microscopic model; particular attention is given to electrostatic effects and other features peculiar to the lanthanide metals. The influence of these features on the excitation and detection of nuclear resonance is also considered. Current trends in both spectroscopic and relaxation studies are identified, and areas of potential growth are indicated.