Radiation defects generated by the (n,$gamma$) reaction in tin chalcogenides

The emission gamma-resonance spectroscopy of the /sup 119m/Sn nuclei was used to study the influence of the capture of thermal neutrons on the stabilization of Moessbauer atoms. It was found that the reaction /sup 118/Sn(n, gamma )/sup 119/Sn in divalent tin chalcogenides failed to produce new states of tin atoms: The majority ( approximates -100%) of the tin recoil atoms was stabilized at normal lattice sites. This was due to the low recoil energy in the investigated reaction. Results were used to explain certain features of the Moessbauer spectra of the compounds of /sup 118/Sn irradiated in nuclear reactors. (auth)