Measurement of the K shell X-ray production cross-sections and fluorescence yields for Nd,Eu, Gd,Dy and Ho using radioisotope X-ray fluorescence in the external magnetic field

The effect of external magnetic field on the K_α and K_β X-ray production cross-sections and K shell fluorescence yields for ferromagnetic elements Nd, Gd and Dy and paramagnetic elements Eu and Ho have been measured at the excitation energy of 59.5 keV γ -rays from ²⁴¹Am radioactive source of strength 100 mCi in the external magnetic field of intensities ±0.75 T. Furthermore, I_Kβ /I_Kα intensity ratios for these elements have been measured in the external magnetic field. The K X-rays from different targets were detected using a high resolution Si(Li) semiconductor detector. For B = 0, the measured K X-ray production cross-sections, K shell fluorescence yields and the I_Kβ /I_Kα intensity ratios were compared with the experimental and theoretical data in literature. The results have shown that the fluorescence parameters as photoionization cross section, fluorescence yield, radiation rates and spectral linewidth can change when the irradiation is conducted in a magnetic field.     

Measurement of total M shell photoionization cross sections for Au,Pb, Th and U in the energy region 6–12 keV

The total M shell relative photoionization cross-sections for Au, Pb, Th and U have been measured in the energy region 6–12 keV. External conversion K X-rays of suitable elements has been employed as incident photons to photo ionize the total M shell of elements under investigation. The method provides relative cross-sections therefore does not make use of theoretically calculated average M shell fluorescence yields which involve uncertainties of the order of 20%. No evidence of deviation from calculated values of cross-sections have been observed within experimental errors for all incident photon energies.     

Fluorimetric Determination of Some Sulfur Containing Compounds Through Complex Formation with Terbium (Tb<Superscript>+3</Superscript>) and Uranium (U<Superscript>+3</Superscript>)

Two simple, sensitive and specific fluorimetric methods have been developed for the determination of some sulphur containing compounds namely, Acetylcysteine (Ac), Carbocisteine (Cc) and Thioctic acid (Th) using terbium Tb⁺³ and uranium U⁺³ ions as fluorescent probes. The proposed methods involve the formation of a ternary complex with Tb⁺³ in presence of Tris-buffer method (I) and a binary complex with aqueous uranyl acetate solution method (II). The fluorescence quenching of Tb⁺³ at 510, 488 and 540 nm (λ_ex 250, 241 and 268 nm) and of uranyl acetate at 512 nm (λ_ex 240 nm) due to the complex formation was quantitatively measured for Ac, Cc and Th, respectively. The reaction conditions and the fluorescence spectral properties of the complexes have been investigated. Under the described conditions, the proposed methods were applicable over the concentration range (0.2–2.5 μg ml⁻¹), (1–4 μg ml⁻¹) and (0.5–3.5 μg ml⁻¹) with mean percentage recoveries 99.74±0.36, 99.70±0.52 and 99.43±0.23 for method (I) and (0.5–6 μg ml⁻¹), (0.5–5 μg ml⁻¹), and (1–6 μg ml⁻¹) with mean percentage recoveries 99.38±0.20, 99.82±0.28 and 99.93±0.32 for method (II), for the three cited drugs, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of the studied compounds in bulk powders and in pharmaceutical formulations, as well as in presence of their related substances. The results obtained were found to be in agree statistically with those obtained by official and reported ones. The two methods were validated according to USP guidelines and also assessed by applying the standard addition technique.     

Average fluorescence yields of M4,5 subshells for thorium and uranium

M_4,5 subshells average fluorescence yields (ϖ_M4,5) have been determined for thorium and uranium using M_4,5 X-ray production cross-sections at 5.96 keV incident photon energy. The measurements have been performed using a ⁵⁵Fe annular source and an Ultra-LEGe detector. The present values are compared with calculated theoretical values and theoretical average M shell fluorescence yields (ϖ_M). Fair agreement (to within 22–27%) is typically obtained between present average fluorescence yields (ϖ_M4,5) and calculated theoretical values.     

Associated charm production in neutrino–nucleus interactions

In this paper a search for associated charm production both in neutral and charged current ν-nucleus interactions is presented. The improvement of automatic scanning systems in the CHORUS experiment allows an efficient search to be performed in emulsion for short-lived particles. Hence a search for rare processes, like the associated charm production, becomes possible through the observation of the double charm-decay topology with a very low background. About 130000 ν interactions located in the emulsion target have been analysed. Three events with two charm decays have been observed in the neutral-current sample with an estimated background of 0.18±0.05. The relative rate of the associated charm cross-section in deep inelastic ν interactions, σ(cc̄ν)/σ_NC ^DIS=(3.62^+2.95 _-2.42(stat)±0.54(syst))×10^-3 has been measured. One event with two charm decays has been observed in charged-current ν_μ interactions with an estimated background of 0.18±0.06 and the upper limit on associated charm production in charged-current interactions at 90% C.L. has been found to be σ(cc̄μ^-)/σ_CC<9.69×10^-4.     

Influence of a Solvent on the Quantum Yield and Duration of the Fluorescence of Tetraazoporphin

In view of the discrepancies between the values available in the literature for the photophysical parameters of tetraazaporphin in solutions, we measured its quantum yield and duration of fluorescence in a number of solvents. It has been found that alcohols (isobutanol and isopropanol) quench the fluorescence appreciably. For a solution in toluene — a stable chemically inactive and low-polar solvent — the measured quantum yield of the fluorescence of tetraazaporphin is equal to 0.180 ± 0.015 and its duration is 3.4 ± 0.1 nsec. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 5, pp. 697–699, September–October, 2005.     

K*0 and φ meson production in proton–nucleus interactions at ?s=41.6\textGeV\sqrt{s}=41.6\text{GeV}

The inclusive production cross sections of the strange vector mesons K^*0, K̄^*0, and φ have been measured in interactions of 920 GeV protons with C, Ti, and W targets with the HERA-B detector at the HERA storage ring. Differential cross sections as a function of rapidity and transverse momentum have been measured in the central rapidity region and for transverse momenta up to p_T = 3.5 GeV/c. The atomic number dependence is parametrised as σ_pA=σ_pN*A^α, where σ_pN is the proton–nucleon cross section. Within the phase space accessible, α(K^*0)=0.86±0.03, α(K̄^*0)=0.87±0.03, and α(φ)=0.96±0.02. The total proton–nucleon cross sections, determined by extrapolating the differential measurements to full phase space, are σ_pN→K*0=(5.06±0.54) mb, σ_pN→K̄*0=(4.02±0.45) mb, and σ_pN→φ=(1.17±0.11) mb. For all resonances the Cronin effect is observed; compared to the measurements of Cronin et al. for K^± mesons, the measured values of α for φ mesons coincide with those of K⁺ mesons for all transverse momenta, while the enhancement for K^*0/K̄^*0 mesons is smaller.     

Determination ofL-shell X-ray production cross-sections in holmium by 10–40 keV photons

In an effort to resolve the existing discrepancy between experiment and theory, the cross-sections for the production ofL _l,L _α ,L _β andL _γ groups ofL-shell X-rays of Ho by photons of nine energies in the range 10–40 keV have been measured using an improved version of annular source double reflection geometrical set-up. Contrary to the earlier findings of Garget al that the measured values of the cross-sections are consistently higher than those calculated theoretically, the present results do not confirm this. The plausible deficiencies in the experiments of Garget al are pointed out and possible remedies to overcome them are suggested. It is concluded that the higher values obtained by Garget al are probably due to systematic errors in their method of measurement.     

Wetting behavior of Al–Si–Mg alloys on Si3N4/Si substrates: optimization of processing parameters

The wetting behavior of Al–Si–Mg alloys on Si₃N₄/Si substrates has been investigated using the sessile drop technique. Based on a Taguchi experiment design, the effect of the following processing parameters on the contact angle (θ) and surface tension (σ_LV) was studied: processing time and temperature, atmosphere (Ar and N₂), substrate surface condition (with and without a silicon wafer), as well as the Mg and Si contents in the aluminium alloy. In nitrogen, non-wetting conditions prevail during the isothermal events while in argon a remarkable non-wetting to wetting transition leads to contact angles θ as low as 11±3° and a liquid surface tension σ_LV of 33± 10×10^-5 kJ/m². According to the multiple analysis of variance (Manova), the optimum conditions for minimizing the values of θ and σ_LV are as follows: temperature of 1100 °C, processing time of 90 min, argon atmosphere, no use of a silicon wafer, and the use of the Al-18% Mg-1% Si alloy. A verification test conducted under the optimized conditions resulted in a contact angle of θ=9±3° and a surface tension of σ_LV=29± 9×10^-5 kJ/m², both indicative of excellent wetting. PACS 68.03.Cd; 81.05.Bx; 68.08.Bc; 05.70.-a; 61.10.Nz     

Singlet Oxygen Quantum Yield Determination for a Fluorene-Based Two-Photon Photosensitizer

The quantum yield, Φ_Δ, of singlet oxygen generation under two-photon excitation has been determined for a fluorene derivative. A photochemical method was developed using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF), a chemical quencher of ¹O₂, and 2-(9,9-didecyl-7-nitrofluoren-2-yl)benzothiazole (1) as a two-photon photosensitizer (PS). The photochemical kinetics of the quencher was measured by two different fluorescence methods. Fluorene 1 exhibited relatively high singlet oxygen quantum yield, Φ_Δ ≈ 0.4 ± 0.1, and had a two-photon absorption cross-section of 28 ± 5 GM. Thus, 1 may have potential for use as a two-photon PS in the near-IR spectral region for biomedical applications.