Fission of Th and U in the interaction with negative muons

Muon-induced fission of ²³²Th and ²³⁸U was studied, measuring the time correlation between stopping muons, fission events and electrons.

The measured muon lifetimes are τ_μ(²³²Th) = 77.3±0.3 ns and τ_μ(²³⁸U) = 77.1±0.2 ns. After prompt fission the muon was found to be attached predominantly to the heavy fragment with a lifetime for ²³²Th of 132±7 ns and for ²³⁸U of 134±4 ns. The probability for muon conversion was found to be a few percent per fission event.

Indications were found that the muonic shape isomer is populated in ²³⁸U when the nucleus is excited in a radiationless muonic transition.     

A new measurement of the half-life of the Ge 0 state

With a Ge(Li) detector as the target, the half-life of the 0⁺ first excited state of ⁷²Ge has been remeasured. A value of 422±13 ns has been obtained.     

The nature of 0 excitations in Er

Lifetimes of excited 0⁺ states in ¹⁶⁶Er have been measured with the (n,n′γ) reaction. The first and second excited 0⁺ states have no significant collective enhancements of their decays, and their properties are suggestive of pair-type excitations rather than those of a β vibration or phonon excitation built on the γ vibration. The third excited 0⁺ state at 1934 keV has an enhanced decay to the ground state band with B(E2; 0₄⁺ → 2_gsb⁺) = 8.8 ± 0.9 W.u., consistent with that expected for a β vibration.     

New isomeric states in Fr and At

Alpha spectroscopic data from the decay chain ²¹⁸Fr → ²¹⁴At → ²¹⁰Bi have been obtained. Previously unobserved isomeric states were found in both ²¹⁸Fr and ²¹⁴At. The half-life of the ground state of ²¹⁸Fr was measured to be 1.3^+0.5 _−0.4 ms. The half-life of the new isomeric state in ²¹⁸Fr was determined to be 22.0±0.5 ms and its decay was found to be very complex with no fewer than 20 -groups varying in energy between 6837 keV and 7952 keV. Two long-lived states in ²¹⁴At with half-lives of 558±10 ns and 760±15 ns, respectively, were found to be strongly populated in the decay of ^218mFr. These two states are proposed to be a 1⁻ ground state and a 9⁻ isomeric state arising from the coupling between the unpaired h_9/2 proton and g_9/2 neutron.     

The g-factor of the 320 keV state of V measured by Coulomb excitation in Fe-V alloy

The g-factor of the 320 keV first excited state of ⁵¹V measured by Coulomb excitation in Fe-V alloy was found to be g = 1.54±0.13.     

超短脉冲激光场中间二氯苯的激发态动力学

利用飞秒时间分辨的飞行时间质谱技术研究了间二氯苯的激发态动力学.间二氯苯分子吸收一个200 nm或者267 nm的光子被抽运到激发态,随后再吸收多个800 nm的光子被电离.实验获得了电离产生的离子质谱信号及其随抽运探测激光延迟时间的变化曲线.在200 nm时,分子被抽运到激发态(π,π*),可观察到三个相互竞争的解离通道的寿命:内转换到排斥态(n,σ*)或者(π,σ*)并发生快速解离,其寿命约(0.15±0.01)ps;内转换到基态的高振动态,能量在基态"热"振动态间弛豫的寿命约为(4.94±0.08)ps;系间窜越到相邻的三重态从而发生预解离过程,其寿命约为(110.09±4.33)ps.在267 nm时,分子被抽运到第一激发态的低振动态,可观察到一个长寿命(约(1.06±0.05)ns)的系间窜越过程.除此之外,在碎片离子信号中还观察到了激发态与基态的高振动态之间的内转换过程.     

曲率能对热力学驱动力的影响

为了研究曲率能对核裂变热力学驱动力（TDF）的影响,首先利用包含曲率能的截断版小液滴模型计算了200Pb和224Th的位垒和熵垒,对比液滴模型的计算结果表明:曲率能未改变224Th的位垒鞍点,却将200Pb的位垒鞍点向后推移。能级密度参数的形变关系越强则两系统的熵垒鞍点越靠近基态。为了进一步探究曲率能如何通过位势和熵势影响TDF,以断前中子多重性（PNM）为探针,通过两种方案进行了模拟,结果表明:曲率能降低了两系统的位势驱动力,而增强了其熵势驱动力。结合PNM的计算表明,前一种效应要比后一种效应明显,因此曲率能总体减弱了200Pb和224Th的TDF,进而延缓了两系统的核裂变进程。In order to study the effect of curvature energy on the thermodynamic driving force (TDF) of nuclear fission, the potential and entropy barrier of 200Pb and 224Th systems are calculated by using the truncated droplet model including curvature energy, respectively. Compared with the liquid drop model, the results show that curvature energy does not affect the saddle point of 224Th, but pushes the saddle point of 200Pb backwards the ground state. The stronger the deformation dependence of the level density parameter is, the closer the saddle point of entropy barrier for these systems is to the ground state. In order to further investigate how curvature energy affects TDF through nuclear potential and entropy, respectively, the prescission neutron multiplicity (PNM) is selected as the probe, some simulations based on two schemes are carried out. The results show that curvature energy reduces the potential driving force of 200Pb and 224Th, and enhances the entropy potential driving force. Combined with the calculations and analyses of PNM, the former effect is more obvious than the latter, so curvature energy weakens TDF of two systems on whole, thus delaying the nuclear fission process of two systems.     

122~125Sn中子谱因子的实验研究

多个Sn同位素位于慢速中子俘获（s-）过程路径上,其中子谱因子可用于计算ASn（n,γ） A+1Sn直接辐射俘获的天体物理反应率,并可研究Sn同位素对s-过程核合成的贡献。本工作在中国原子能科学研究院HI-13串列加速器Q3D磁谱仪上,对实验室系下8°~66°范围内的122,124Sn（d,p）和（p,d）单中子转移反应角分布进行了测量。利用DWBA理论计算了转移反应角分布,并提取了122-125Sn的基态以及123,125Sn第一激发态的中子谱因子。其中,122Sn和124Sn的基态中子谱因子是首次从实验上获得。由于本工作成功鉴别开了123,125Sn的基态和第一激发态的效应,因此给出的谱因子比前人的结果更可信。Several Tin isotopes are on the path of slow neutron capture (s-) process, and the direct components of (n, γ) reactions can be derived from their neutron spectroscopic factors. In the present work, the angular distributions of 122,124Sn(p, d) and (d, p) reactions are obtained using the high-precision Q3D magnetic spectrograph in Beijing HI-13 tandem accelerator in China Institute of Atomic Energy. The distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) calculations are performed to extract the neutron spectroscopic factors of the ground state of 122-125Sn and the first excited state of 123,125Sn. The neutron spectroscopic factors of the ground state of 122Sn and 124Sn are firstly obtained in this work. As the events of the ground state and first excited state of 123,125Sn can be distinguished clearly by our experiment, the neutron spectroscopic factories of 123,125Sn are more reliable.     

A study of the Li(p,n)Be reaction by the neutron threshold technique

The reaction ⁶Li(p,n)⁶Be has been studied by slow-neutron detection, with particular attention to the ⁶Be ground state threshold. The detector response was calculated by a Monte Carlo technique and verified with a measurement of the ⁷Li(,n)¹⁰B threshold. An analysis of the shape of the ⁶Be threshold indicated that both s- and p-wave neutrons contribute significantly to the reaction. The results depend on what mode of decay is assumed for the ground state of ⁶Be. If a two-stage process is assumed, with either an alpha particle and an unbound diproton or ⁵Li and a proton as intermediate state, the width is found to be 95±28 keV and the Q-value obtained for the ⁶Li(p,n)⁶Be reaction is −5074±13 keV. It was not possible to detertmine which process is predominant. No higher thresholds in the slow neutron yield up to 4 MeV of excitation in ⁶Be were observed. The data above the ground state threshold are consistent with a broad excited state of ⁶Be or with the occurrence of other neutron-producing reactions.     

纳米晶体ZnS：Mn2+发光寿命异常减缩机理的探讨

纳米晶体ZnS:Mn²⁺中Mn²⁺粒子⁴T₁→⁶A₁的发光寿命比晶体减缩了5个量级,这颇令人费解,因为通常解除自旋禁戒的磁作用远无如此强的效应.假定基质态的自旋不为零,且考虑了Mn²⁺的d电子和基质之间的交换库仑作用.若基质存在比Mn²⁺的⁴T₁激发态能量略高的某种激发态,则这种交换库仑作用将导致这两种激发态之间的混合,从而可解除发光能级弛豫中的自旋禁戒.这种混合随基质颗粒尺寸的减小而加强.我们并对此机制进行粗略的数值估计,给出了和实验相容的结果.     

Measurement of 232Th (n,γ) cross section at the CSNS Back-n facility in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV

The neutron capture cross section of ²³²Th was measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility Back-n of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) for the first time. The measurement was performed with 4 hydrogen-free deuterated benzene C₆D₆ liquid scintillation detectors, in the ES#2 experiment station on the beam line, at a distance of about 76 m from the neutron-production assembly. The total energy detection principle in combination with the pulse height weighting technique (PHWT) was applied to analyze the measured data. Results of the ²³²Th (n,γ) reaction cross section in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV were obtained, which shows a good agreement with the existing experimental data from EXFOR, as well as with the evaluated data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and CENDL-3.1. In addition, the excitation function of ²³²Th (n,γ)²³³Th reaction in the unresolved resonance region was theoretically calculated by using the code TALYS-1.95. By fitting the experimental cross section and theoretical data, the average parameters in the unresolved resonance region were extracted. The datasets are openly available at http://dx.doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.j00113.00015.     

Electronic states and transition probabilities of the Au center in KCl

The emission spectra and lifetimes of the Au^— center in KCl crystals were measured. The Au^— concentration was measured by counting the activity of a radioactive tagged sample to determine the oscillator strength of the electronic transitions. The lifetime of the A'emission is calculated from the oscillator strength and is close to the experimental value of 103 ns at 4 K. The lifetimes and intensities of the Au^— emission bands C', B', A' and were measured between 4 and 500 K. The A'emission consists of a fast and slow decaying component. Time-resolved emission spectroscopy improved the measurements of the emission. From the temperature dependence of the lifetimes and intensities it is found that the radiating states of the A' and emission ³T_1u and ³A_1u are coupled by radiationless transitions. These transitions and the radiationless transitions from the excited state of the B' emission must be described as transitions between weakly coupled states similar to the radiationless transitions in rare earth ions. The excited state of an absorption band at 236 nm is responsible for the C' emission. Both the C' emission and the 236 nm absorption are phonon-induced transitions. The most probable explanation for the C' excited state is that the C' as well as the B' excited states come from the atomic state ³P₂ which is split into ³T_2u and ³E_u by the crystal field. The splitting energy is 0.9 eV and implies that one should look for the same effect in other s² centers.     

The decay of 91 min As

The energies and relative intensities of γ-rays following the β-decay of ⁷⁸As (and ⁷⁶As) to levels in ⁷⁸Se (and ⁷⁶Se) have been measured using an 8 cm³ Ge(Li) spectrometer. The β-decay of ⁷⁸As has been measured using a superconducting magnet beta-ray spectrometer with two 3 mm thick Si(Li) detectors. These data plus β-γ and γ-γ coincidence results have been used to construct a level scheme with 18 excited levels in ⁷⁸Se. The half-life of ⁷⁸As was measured to be 90.7±0.2 min.     

Measurement of natural radioactivity in Jordanian sand

Sand samples were collected from Adasiah (near Amman), Jerash and Ghor As-Safi (near Karak). ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K activities, present in these samples, were measured using a gamma ray spectroscopy technique. The average values of the radium equivalent activities were calculated and were found to be 41.06 Bq kg⁻¹, 54.7 Bq kg⁻¹ and 85.53 Bq kg⁻¹ in samples collected from Adasiah, Jerash and Ghor As-Safi, respectively. These values are within the limit (i.e. less than 370 Bq kg⁻¹) recommended for the safe use of construction materials for dwellingsby OECD.     

Proton–neutron structure of the N=52 nucleus Zr

Following the successful identification of mixed-symmetric one- and two-phonon states in the N=52 nuclei ⁹⁴Mo and ⁹⁶Ru, we have performed a photon scattering experiment on the N=52 isotone ⁹²Zr. Experimental data and shell model calculations show that both, single particle and collective degrees of freedom are present in the low-lying levels of ⁹²Zr. The second excited quadrupole state shows the signatures of the one-phonon mixed-symmetric 2⁺ state, while calculations and data indicate an almost pure neutron configuration for the 2⁺₁ state, in contradiction with the F-spin symmetric limit. Furthermore, two strong dipole excitations, which are candidates for the two-phonon quadrupole–octupole coupled E1 excitation and for the mixed-symmetric 1⁺ two-phonon state, were observed.     

GdB3O6中Gd3+的级联发射特性

报道了Gd³⁺离子在GdB₃O₆基质中的光子级联发射特性。用Hitachi M850荧光分光光度计测定了Gd^{3+ 6}G_J能态的位置和Gd³⁺离子的光子级联发射光谱,Gd³⁺离子的第一个光子发射为⁶G_J→⁶P_J(～600nm)和⁶G_J→⁶I_J(～780nm),第二个光子的发射为⁶P_J→⁸S_7/2(～310nm)。由于⁶D_9/2与⁶I_11/2间能级差(～2900cm^-1)和⁶I_7/2与⁶P_J间能级差(～3900cm^-1)较小,多声子弛豫的几率明显超过辐射跃迁几率。因此,当用⁸S_7/2→⁶G_J(202nm)的紫外光激发时,只能观察到⁶P_J→⁸S_7/2(～310nm)、⁶G_J→⁶P_J(～600nm)和⁶G_J→⁶I_J(～780nm)的发射跃迁,未能观察到⁶I_J→⁸S_7/2(～275nm)和⁶D_J→⁸S_7/2(～250nm)的发射跃迁。     

State selective laser photodissociation of Tl2 at 337.1 nm by optogalvanic spectroscopy

This paper reports the first time achievement of laser photolysis of thallium dimers by single photon absorption of N₂-laser light at 337.1 nm resulting in a large population inversion of thallium 7 ²S excited state with respect to 6 ²P state. The photodissociation nitrogen laser pulse is spatially and temporally overlapped with the tunable dye laser pulse that is used for confirming the production of selectively excited thallium atoms. The dye laser excites the thallium atoms from 7 ²S state to high lying Rydberg states that collisionally ionize giving an ion-current signal which is subsequently processed by a box-car average/integrator and recorded on the chart recorder. The photodissociation of Tl₂ to Tl(7 ²S ) state demonstrates the existence of the molecular dissociative state 1g that is correlated with Tl 7 ²S +6 ²P states. A complete absence of 6 ²P state population among the photolysis products indicates a 100% prompt population inversion between 7 ²S and 6 ²P atomic states.     

Collective properties of Cr

The mean lifetimes of levels below 3 MeV excitation in ⁴⁹Cr were measured using the reaction ⁴⁹Ti(, nγ)⁴⁹Cr. The Doppler-shift attenuation method was used in a neutron-gamma coincidence measurement. The lifetime of the first excited state was determined with the recoil distance method. The results are : 272 keV, 19±5 ps; 1085 keV, 260±90 fs; 1563 keV, 590₋₁₂₀⁺³⁰⁰ fs; 1704 keV, > 5.5 ps; 1742 keV, > 4 ps; 1982 keV, > 6.5 ps; 2169 keV, > 4.5 ps; 2433 keV, > 6 ps; 2504 keV, < 12 fs; 2614 keV, 65 ±20 fs. The lifetimes of the second and third excited states in combination with known multipole mixing ratios gave evidence for spin assignments of for the 1085 keV level and for the 1563 keV level. The energies and spins of the four lowest levels as well as the B(M1) and B(E2) values of their γ-decays are in good agreement with calculations based on the strong coupling model and suggest that these levels are strongly collective. Dipole transitions of the higher levels to the ground and first excited states are highly retarded.     

Identification of Vibrational States in 230T（n,f） Reaction

The excitation function for the fission of 230Th induced by neutrons has an unusual maximum for neutron energies in the vicinity of 700KeV,It has been suggested that this maximum may be associated with the vibrational-mode resonance states,The unusual peak in the excitation function is interpreted in terms of a vibrational-model resonance state in a two-humpted fission barrier.From theoretical fits to the fission cross sections and angular distributions,it is shown that the resonance has K=1/2.     

Natural activities of U, Th and K in some Indian building materials

The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K have been determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The measured activity in the selected building materials ranges from (3.2 to 151.7 Bq/kg), 14 to 63.7 Bq/kg and 24.3 to 121.5 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K respectively. The activity concentration of ²³⁸U has been determined using fission track technique and the value ranges from 0.11 to 3.85 ppm. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides are compared with the reported data from other countries. Radium-equivalent activities (Ra_eq) are calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these materials in the construction of dwellings. All building materials have shown Ra_eq activities lower than the limit set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report (370 Bq/kg), equivalent to external gamma dose of 1.5 mSvyr⁻¹. A good correlation has been observed between ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in these materials.