We have used rare gas matrix isolation techniques in combination with extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) to study the variation in interatomic distances for small Fe molecules in solid neon. A considerable contraction in the interatomic distances was observed 0 for the metal molecules. An Fe-Fe distance of 2.02+0.02 A for the lowest concentration of metal was observed. This is in good agreement with early EXAFS measurements in Fe2-Ar,We also carried out a careful study of the x-ray-absorption near-edge structure (XANES), and observed the appearance of considerable structure for a 1.5-at. % Fe sample. The XANES spectra were analyzed in terms of 1s-to-(3d, 4s) and 1s-to-4p transitions.

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