Temperature-independent hyperfine field on μ+ in nickel in the temperature range of 0.12–300 K

The hyperfine field on a positive muon at interstitial site in a nickel single crystal has been measured by the muon spin rotation method in the temperature range from 0.12 K to 300 K. The hyperfine field in the low temperature limit was found to be ?640.7±2.2 Gauss. While the saturation magnetization decreases by 7% as the temperature increases from 0.1 K to 300 K, the hyperfine field seen by the muon remains nearly constant. Possible mechanisms for explaining this result are considered.     

Quantum diffusion of positive muon in pure tantalum

Quantum diffusion of positive muons has been studied in high purity Ta by zero and longitudinal field muon spin relaxation techniques. We found that the muon hopping rate in Ta is more or less the same as in pure Cu (i.e., \nu\simeq10⁵\sim10⁶\ s^™1), showing a characteristic temperature dependence proportional to T^™\alpha with \alpha ranging from 2 to 0.2 below 20 K. In addition, a step‐like change of the nuclear dipolar width was observed at 60 K associated with the sharp peak of hopping rate, suggesting a change of stable muon sites. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Generation of ultra-slow muons for large-scale future applications

The ideas of providing intense high-quality eV to keV muons (μ⁺μ⁻) proposed in the eighties have been tested during the last five years. Recently, remarkable success was marked for ultra-slow μ⁺, while a promising test result was obtained for ultra-slow μ⁻. The ultimate future of these beams is considered. A possible large-scale application to an eventual μ⁺μ⁻ collider is discussed.     

Magnetic properties of crystalline and amorphous DyAg from μSR measurements

Muon spin relaxation in crystalline and amorphous DyAg has been studied in the paramagnetic and magnetically ordered regimes. In cr-DyAg the critical slowing down of the Dy³⁺ spin fluctuation is seen on approaching T_N = 60 K. In the ordered state we observe a Lorentzian field distribution. The muon spin relaxation in am-DyAg approaches at lower temperatures a root exponential law usually encountered in spin glasses.     

Ultra slow muons generated by laser resonant ionization of thermal muonium produced by 500‐MeV protons with hot tungsten

We report recent progress to date on the UT‐MSL/KEK “Ultra Slow Muon” project, in which thermal muonium (Mu) atoms are generated from the surface of a hot tungsten target placed at the primary 500 MeV proton beam line and resonantly ionized by intense u.v. lasers synchronized with the emission of the Mu. The positive muon ionization fragments are collected by electrostatic beam optics to form a beam of slow positive muons. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fe site populations in Sm2(Co, Fe)17 and Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)8.35 alloys

We have investigated the crystallographic site distribution of Fe atoms in Sm₂(Co_1−xFe_x)₁₇ and Sm(Co_0.90−vFe_vCu_0.08---Zr_0.02)_8.35 alloys by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy. Fe shows a strong preference for 2c (dumbbell) sites in the former system, but in the multicomponent alloys such preference is reduced. This result gives support to a model proposed by Ray, according to which Zr-vacancy pairs displace Fe---Fe dumbbell pairs during the solutionizing heat treatment of these permanent-magnet materials.     

Construction of Riken-ral muon facility at ISIS and advanced μSR

By utilizing the intense pulsed proton beam available at the ISIS facility of RAL, the new muon facility project of an advanced superconducting muon channel funded by the RIKEN is now under construction. The new facility, by adopting the superconducting solenoid system, will produce the strongest backward decay pulsed ⁺ or ^–in the momentum range from 20 MeV/c to 120 MeV/c. Also, by adopting the pulsed magnetic kicker, each one of two muon pulses will be supplied to two extraction channels simultaneously. Various important muon science experiments including advanced pulsed ^–SR andmu ⁺SR experiments will be realized.