Low-energy nuclear reactions in crystal structures

Results of studying low-energy nuclear reactions at the HELIS facility (LPI) are presented. Investigations of yields from DD reactions in deuterated crystal structures at deuteron energies of 10 to 25 keV show a considerable enhancement effect. It is shown that exposure of the deuterated targets to the Н⁺ (proton) and Ne⁺ beams with energies from 10 to 25 keV and an X-ray beam with the energy of 20 to 30 keV stimulates DD reaction yields. For the CVD diamond target, it is shown that its orientation with respect to the deuteron beam affects the neutron yield. The D⁺ beam is shown to cause much higher heat release in the TiD_x target than the Н⁺ and Ne⁺ beams, and this heat release depends on the deuterium concentration in the target and the current density of the deuteron beam.     

Probing the structure of exotic nuclei by transfer reactions

Low energy single nucleon transfer reactions are proposed as a tool to investigate the structure of nuclei far off stability. Experimental concepts and conditions are discussed, in particular high resolution γ-ray spectroscopy after single nucleon pickup reactions. Nuclear structure is described by Skyrme Hartree-Fock calculations including pairing. As representative examples, binding energies, radii and wave functions for Mg and Sn isotopes are calculated. In the neutron deficient Mg isotopes a proton skin is found. At the neutron driplines the Mg and Sn isotopes develop extended neutron skins. The nuclear structure results are used in DWBA and EFR-DWBA transfer calculations. Single nucleon transfer reactions of ^32,36Mg and exotic Sn beams on targets ranging from ²H to ²⁴Mg in inverse kinematics are explored. The one-nucleon transfer cross sections decrease strongly for high-Z targets. An impact parameter analysis shows that the transfer process is selective on the tails of the wave functions. The largest cross sections are obtained for ²H and ⁹Be targets at incident energies of E _lab = 2-5 MeV/u. The energy-momentum dependence is closely related to the special properties of wave functions of weakly bound states. Two-neutron (p,t) stripping reactions are studied for a ⁶He projectile. A strong competition of sequential and direct processes is found at low energies. Received: 1 October 1997 / Revised version: 25 November 1997     

High-intensity lasers as radiation sources

In the last decade or so, an evolution in experimental relativistic laser-plasma physics has led to highly sophisticated lasers which are now capable of generating ultra-short pulses and can be focused to intensities in excess of 10²¹ W cm^-2. The laser interaction with solid or gas targets can generate collimated beams of highly energetic electrons, protons and ions. These high-intensity laser systems, therefore, turn out to be versatile and powerful sources of radiation and high-energy particles, without recourse to large-scale facilities such as nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. The potential to induce various kinds of nuclear reactions with laser-induced radiation fields has been demonstrated at several laboratories in recent years. The present paper lays out a comprehensive overview of nuclear reactions induced by high-intensity laser matter interactions. Mechanisms for electron, proton and ion acceleration, in addition to secondary bremsstrahlung, positron and neutron production, are addressed, with a focus on the types of nuclear reactions that are possible and potential applications. Discussion of the extrapolation of these processes and applications to the next generation of table-top lasers under construction is also presented.     

Multiparticle production in the Fermilab bubble chambers

In the past two years many new data have been collected from experiments in the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory bubble chambers. While some of the important new results are from second generation, high statistics pp experiments, much of the new data come from interactions initiated by π^± and $\text{p}$ beams on proton targets. In addition, preliminary results are now available from interactions of K^± with protons, π⁺ and protons with deuterium, and π^? with neon. In this review of experimental results on multiparticle production, as studied in the bubble chamber, these data are summarized and comparisons are made among the different incident projectile and target reactions.     

Nuclear level widths in 113Sb from particle-X-ray coincidences

The particle-X-ray coincidence method is applied in (p, p₀) and (p, p′) reactions on ¹¹² Sn at 7.138, 10 and 12 MeV proton energy to measure the width of compound nuclear states in ¹¹³Sb. The united-atom K X-ray intensities observed in coincidence with inelastic proton scattering (35⁺⁷⁸_?35, 80 ± 50 and 250 ± 80 counts at the respective energies) yield mean level widths for ¹¹³Sb of ?3.9 eV, 16.6 ± 15.1 eV, and 19.1 ± 11.1 eV at the excitation energies 10.1, 13 and 15 MeV, respectively. From X-ray coincidences with elastic proton scattering, upper limits for the compound elastic component are derived. No united-atom X-rays were detected in short runs at 7 MeV on ⁹²Mo and ¹⁰⁶Cd. A comparison of nuclear state widths from X-ray method, crystal blocking technique and fluctuation averaging is given.     

Cross section and resonance strengths of the 19 F(p, αγ)16 O reaction in the energy range E p = 0.8–3.6 MeV

An excitation function of the ¹⁹ F(p, αγ)¹⁶ O reaction has been measured over the proton beam energy range E_p=0.8–3.6 MeV using a 4π NaI summing spectrometer. The absolute efficiency of this spectrometer was determined by Monte Carlo simulations. The results from the efficiency calculations have been experimentally confirmed by measuring known resonances of three nuclear reactions. The properties EinR, ГinR, σinR and ωγ have been extracted for ten narrow resonances (Г ≤ 20 keV) by analysing the excitation function and taking into account all the involved effects such as target thickness, beam energy distribution and energy straggling. Total cross section vs. proton energy has been obtained for the rest of the excitation curve, where the thickness and stoichiometry of the targets was determined by using three nuclear analytical techniques.     

Cross sections of fusion and transfer reactions in interactions between 3He and Pt and 197Au nuclei in the subbarrier energy region

The reactions of complete and incomplete fusion, along with nucleon transfer reactions in the range of ³He energies from 10 to 24.5 MeV, are investigated by irradiating gold and platinum targets with an accelerated ³He ion beam on the U-120M cyclotron at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, ?e?. Activation is used to determine the yield of nuclides resulting from nuclear reactions. The γ-activity induced in the targets is measured using a with high-resolution HPGe detector. Despite the low binding energy of ³He and the reactions with positive Q values, the measured cross sections of fusion reactions exhibit no specific features, compared to reactions conducted using beams of other light stable particles. Transfer neutron reactions in the subbarrier energy region have relatively high cross sections. These cross sections continue to grow as the energy of ³He rises. When a neutron is captured by a nucleus of ³He, the cross sections of these reactions reach their maximum values in the Coulomb barrier region.     

Experiments with intense secondary beams of radioactive ions

Electromagnetic mass separation applied on-line to accelerators and nuclear reactors is now a standard technique for producing preselected isotopic beams (A, Z selection) of nuclear reaction products. The development, performance and anatomy of a large on-line isotope separator facility, the CERN-ISOLDE, is discussed. As a result of recent technical developments it is now possible to study individual nuclei of about 40 elements, in many cases out to where the limits of nucleon binding are approached and half-lives become as short as 10 ms. It is shown that the nuclear reaction processes induced with the high-intensity several hundred MeV proton beam can provide secondary radioactive beams in almost all regions of the nuclidic chart with intensities which are not matched by any other method. The intense beams of 10⁸–10¹¹ atoms/s have opened up a number of new experimental possibilities like laser spectroscopy on radioactive atoms, radioactive targets for nuclear reaction spectroscopy, and precision X-ray shift measurements.     

超薄靶激光质子加速实验研究

在超短超强飞秒SILEX-Ⅰ激光装置上,开展了薄膜靶激光质子加速的实验研究。实验发现激光预脉冲、靶厚度对质子加速有很大的影响。在激光强度3×1018~3×1019W/cm2条件下,采用前表面厚度为3μm铜、后表面镀4μm厚CH靶,质子的最大能量达到3.15 MeV。而对190 nm厚CH膜靶,质子的最大能量为0.54 MeV。初步研究了激光偏振对质子加速的影响,相同激光功率条件下,圆偏振激光加速产生的质子最大能量略低于P偏振打靶。这些结果与靶后鞘层加速机制相一致。     

Measurements of proton radiative capture cross sections relevant to the astrophysical rp- and γ-processes

Measurements have been made of the ⁹⁶Zr(p,γ)⁹⁷Nb, ¹¹²Sn(p,γ)¹¹³Sb, and ¹¹⁹Sn(p,γ)¹²⁰Sb cross section excitation functions. Incident proton energies ranged from 2.8 MeV to 8.5 MeV. These reactions are relevant to several processes of stellar nucleosynthesis. The resulting astrophysical S-factors are compared to those from theoretical statistical model calculations using the SMOKER, and the more recent NON-SMOKER, codes to judge their applicability to these reactions.     

Method of induced activity for studying nuclear reactions on Pb and Sn isotopes

Nuclear reactions at the interaction of particles with heavy targets were studied using the method of induced activity. This method permits an investigation of the mechanism of residual nuclei formation in a wide range of nuclear masses beginning from light nuclei up to the nuclei with masses near to the target mass. The results of investigations of nuclear reactions on separated isotopes of lead (²⁰⁶Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb, ²⁰⁸Pb) and tin (¹¹⁸Sn) isotope performed using the method of induced activity are given.     

Production, chemical and isotopic separation of the178m2Hf high-spin isomer

The ^178m2Hf with its long-lived (T_1/2=31 y), high-spin I^π = 16⁺, isomeric state, is a challenge for new and exotic nuclear physics studies. The ^178m2Hf isomer has been produced in microweight quantities using the ¹⁷⁶Yb(α,2n) nuclear reaction, by irradiation with a high-intensity beam using the U-200 cyclotron in Dubna. Radiochemistry and mass separation methods have been developed, with the aim to separate and purify the produced Hf material. Thin targets of isomeric hafnium-178 on carbon backings have been prepared and used in experiments with neutron, proton and deuteron beams. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nuclear Physics with 10 PW laser beams at Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)

The field of the uncharted territory of high-intensity laser interaction with matter is confronted with new exotic phenomena and, consequently, opens new research perspectives. The intense laser beams interacting with a gas or solid target generate beams of electrons, protons and ions. These beams can induce nuclear reactions. Electrons also generate ions high-energy photons via bremsstrahlung processes which can also induce nuclear reactions. In this context a new research domain began to form in the last decade or so, namely nuclear physics with high power lasers. The observation of high brilliance proton beams of tens of MeV energy from solid targets has stimulated an intense research activity. The laser-driven particle beams have to compete with conventional nuclear accelerator-generated beams. The ultimate goal is aiming at applications of the laser produced beams in research, technology and medicine. The mechanism responsible for ion acceleration are currently subject of intensive research in many laboratories in the world. The existing results, experimental and theoretical, and their perspectives are reviewed in this article in the context of IZEST and the scientific program of ELI-NP.     

Elastic scattering and reactions of light exotic beams

The present work provides a literature survey of elastic scattering of exotic nuclei from ⁶He to ¹⁷F. It presents a set of definitions that allow different analyses to be put into a common language. A calculational approach is proposed that yields consistent results across different beams and targets so that conclusions concerning the influence of virtual and real breakup as well as transfer couplings on the elastic scattering may be drawn. Calculations of elastic scattering around the Coulomb barrier are emphasised, employing a Pb target whose large Z allows the interplay between nuclear and Coulomb forces to be exploited to maximise possible effects arising from proton or neutron haloes or skins. A series of test calculations is performed and where possible compared to data, demonstrating that there are instances where coupling to transfer channels can have a large effect on the elastic scattering angular distributions. By careful choice of target/beam combination, different aspects of the coupling effects may be emphasised.     

Structure functions at HERA

HERA provides the key facility for the measurement of proton structure functions. Formalism and methods are outlined for the measurement and interpretation of inclusive structure functions, including the use of polarised e ^± beams. The measurement of charm, beauty and photon structure functions is discussed, together with special runs at low proton energy for measurement of the longitudinal structure function. Finally, the functions accessed using polarised beams on polarised targets are indicated.     

Nanotechnology knowledge diffusion: measuring the impact of the research networking and a strategy for improvement

Radiolabelling of industrially manufactured nanoparticles is useful for nanoparticle dosimetry in biodistribution or cellular uptake studies for hazard and risk assessment. Ideally for such purposes, any chemical processing post production should be avoided as it may change the physico-chemical characteristics of the industrially manufactured species. In many cases, proton irradiation of nanoparticles allows radiolabelling by transmutation of a tiny fraction of their constituent atoms into radionuclides. However, not all types of nanoparticles offer nuclear reactions leading to radionuclides with adequate radiotracer properties. We describe here a process whereby in such cases nanoparticles can be labelled with ⁷Be, which exhibits a physical half-life of 53.29 days and emits γ-rays of 478 keV energy, and is suitable for most radiotracer studies. ⁷Be is produced via the proton-induced nuclear reaction ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be in a fine-grained lithium compound with which the nanoparticles are mixed. The high recoil energy of ⁷Be atoms gives them a range that allows the ⁷Be-recoils to be transferred from the lithium compound into the nanoparticles by recoil implantation. The nanoparticles can be recovered from the mixture by dissolving the lithium compound and subsequent filtration or centrifugation. The method has been applied to radiolabel industrially manufactured SiO₂ nanoparticles. The process can be controlled in such a way that no alterations of the ⁷Be-labelled nanoparticles are detectable by dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Moreover, cyclotrons with maximum proton energies of 17–18 MeV that are available in most medical research centres could be used for this purpose.     

1 states and the 1f-2p shell model

The observed 1⁺ cross sections from (³He, p) reactions on even Ca, Ti, Cr and Fe targets are analyzed in terms of an approximate sum rule. It is shown that the summed 1⁺ cross sections in a qualitative way depend on the proton and neutron number of the target as predicted from the shell model.     

Formation of close-to-target products in reactions induced by <Superscript>12</Superscript>C ions on tin isotopes at the energy of 2.2 GeV per nucleon

Cross sections for charge-exchange reactions induced by the interaction between ¹²C ions of energy E_{¹² C} = 2.2E_{^{12} C} = 2.2 GeV per nucleon and tin targets enriched in the isotopes ^118,120,124Sn were measured by the induced-activity method. The cross sections for products whose charge numbers were in excess of the target charge number (Sb and Te) were determined. The shape of the isotope distribution of Sb products was indicative of the evaporative character of neutron emission in the formation of final-state products. The dependence of cross sections for charge-exchange reactions on the nucleonic composition of the target was considered. The contribution of electromagnetic excitation to the cross section for the reaction ¹²⁴Sn(¹²C, x)¹²⁴Sn was estimated.     

The effect of the initial exciton numbers on <Superscript>54,56</Superscript>Fe(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p,xp</Emphasis>) Pre-Equilibrium Reactions

In pre-equilibrium nuclear reactions, the geometry-dependent hybrid model is applied with the use of the neutron and proton densities to investigate the effect of initial exciton numbers on the nucleon emission spectra. The initial exciton numbers calculated with the theoretical neutron and proton densities have been obtained within the Skryme-Hartree-Fock method with SKM* and SLy4 forces on target nuclei in the ^54,56Fe(p, xp) reaction at 61.5-MeV incident proton energy by using a new calculationmethod of Tel et al. Also, the differences between the initial exciton numbers for protons and neutrons as a function of nuclear radius, focusing on systematic discrepancies correlated to differences in the proton and neutron densities have been investigated.