The temperature dependence of penning ionization electron energy spectra: He(23S)—ar,N2, NO,O2, N2O,CO2

Using two intense thermal energy He(2³S) sources of different temperatures (≈400 and ≈ 1000 K, resp.) and a transmission-calibrated electron energy analyzer with about 30meV resolution, the dependence of He(2³S) Penning ionization electron spectra on collision energy for the target species Ar, N₂, NO, O₂, N₂O and CO₂ have been studied. The energy shifts of the Penning electron energy distributions and the branching ratios for the population of different electronic states in the molecular ions are determined quantitatively and compared for the two different collision temperatures. These results and the shapes of the observed Penning electron energy distributions are discussed in the light of current models for the Penning procen; the observed temperature dependences are correlated with the nature of the ionized orbitals in cases of only one entrance channel (closed shell targets) and, in addition, to the existence of qualitatively different entrance channels (open shell targets).     

Subject index

We have investigated the Penning ionization of NO₂(²A₁) by He(2³S) by means of electron—ion coincidence measurements. It is possible to identify two entrance channels. The quartet state is essentially repulsive and gives rise to an electron energy spectrum similar to that found in photoionization. The doublet entrance channel is strongly attractive with a well depth D_e of 4.8 {_?0.3^+0.1 eV. Ionization out of this channel leads to very broad features in the electron energy spectrum.     

Ion-electron coincidence study of the thermal He(23S) + H2 Penning reaction

A new Penning-electron-Penning-ion coincidence method is described. It is applied to the study of the thermal reaction of He(2³S) with H₂. The main results reported are separate electron energy spectra that are coincident with the three different ions formed: HeH₂⁺, HeH⁺ and H₂⁺. Based on these results it is shown that the Penning reaction of the He(2³S)/H ₂ system proceeds in two well-separated steps: (i) ionization at distances R (HeH₂) ? 6a₀ in which H₂⁺ (v) is formed in different vibrational states; and (ii) reactive collision of H₂⁺ (v) with He. For the second step the variation of the branching ratios with vibrational quantum numbers v = 0 to v = 10 is derived, and it is shown that these branching ratios may be regarded as relative vibrational-energy-dependent cross-sections for the collision of H₂⁺ (v) with He at an average relative kinetic energy of ～20 meV.     

Velocity dependence of the chemi-ionization of H2O and D2O on impact of 21S and 23S helium atoms

The velocity dependence for the ionization of H₂O and D₂O to form H₂O⁺ and D₂O⁺ in collisions with both 2³S and 2¹S metastable helium atoms has been measured in a crossed molecular beam apparatus using a mechanical velocity-selector on the metastable beam. The cross-sections are found to be proportional to the —n power of the relative collision energy, with n ? 0.4 for both metastable atoms in both gases. The branching ratios H₂O⁺/OH⁺ and D₂O⁺/OD⁺ were both found to be 4.3 for both metastable helium atoms, and to be independent of the relative collision energy.     

Comparative study of He(23S)-penning ionization and He(I) photoionization of CF4, CCl4, and the chlorofluoromethanes by electron-ion coincidence spectroscopy

We present electron—ion coincidence spectra of the chlorofluoromethanes obtained after He(I)-photoionization and Penning ionization by He(2³S).Remarkable differences between both modes of ionization exist for CF₃Cl. Our tentative interpretation suggests the existence of a strongly bound interaction potential of ionic character between He(2³S) and CF₃Cl, in addition to the essentially flat covalent potential.     

Penning ionization electron spectroscopy of H2O,D2O,H2S and SO2

Electron energy peak shifts and peak shapes were determined in the ionization of H₂O, D₂O, H₂S and SO₂ by Ne(³P₂) and He(2¹S, 2³S) metastable atoms. The shifts are large, especially in ionization of H₂O and D₂O into the ionic ground state and are probably mostly due to chemical interaction during the collision.In a previous paper the electron energy distribution curves for ionization of CO, HCl, HBr, N₂O, NO₂, CO₂, COS and CS₂ by helium, neon and argon metastables and the characteristics of this ionization were described¹. In this paper the series of triatomic molecules was extended to the molecules H₂O, D₂O, H₂S and SO₂. Because all these molecules have considerable dipole moments it could be expected that the peak shifts might be enhanced as compared with other triatomic molecules.     

Measurement of astrophysical S factors and electron screening potentials for d(d, n)3He reaction In ZrD2, TiD2, D2O, and CD2 targets in the ultralow energy region using plasma accelerators

The paper is devoted to study electron screening effect influence on the rate of d(d, n)³He reaction in the ultralow deuteron collision energy range in the deuterated polyethylene (CD₂), frozen heavy water (D₂O) and deuterated metals (ZrD₂ and TiD₂). The ZrD₂ and TiD₂ targets were fabricated via magnetron sputtering of titanium and zirconium in gas (deuterium) environment. The experiments have been carried out using high-current plasma pulsed accelerator with forming of inverse Z pinch (HCEIRAS, Russia) and pulsed Hall plasma accelerator (NPI at TPU, Russia). The detection of neutrons with energy of 2.5MeV from dd reaction was done with plastic scintillation spectrometers. As a result of the experiments the energy dependences of astrophysical S factor for the dd reaction in the deuteron collision energy range of 2?C7 keV and the values of the electron screening potential U _e of interacting deuterons have been measured for the indicated above target: U _e (CD₂) ? 40 eV; U _e (D₂O) ? 26 eV; U _e (ZrD₂) = 157 ± 43 eV; U _e (TiD₂) = 125±34 eV. The value of astrophysical S factor, corresponding to the deuteron collision energy equal to zero, in the experiments with D₂O target is found: S _b (0) = 58.6 ± 3.6 keV b. The paper compares our results with other available published experimental and calculated data.     

A study of the 2H(3He, 4He)1H reaction with a polarised 3He beam at 27 and 33 MeV

Angular distributions of the ³He analysing power and differential cross section were measured for the ²H(³He, ⁴He)¹H reaction at incident ³He lab energies of 27 and 33 MeV. Analysis of this and other data suggest the presence of a broad resonance, or resonances, around 28 MeV excitation in ⁵Li. The evidence for the dominant M-matrix elements involving a change in channel spin (i.e. the ΔS = ?1 rule) is examined and also the question is investigated as to whether the data can be consistently explained without requiring tensor forces in the interaction.     

Low-energy behavior of the 3He(α, γ)7Be cross section

Cross sections for the ³He(α, γ)⁷Be reaction have been measured at several energies from E_c.m. = 165 to 1169 keV by counting prompt γ-rays from a windowless, differentially pumped, recirculating, ³He gas target. The cross-section factor S₃₄(E_c.m.) and branching ratio γ₁/γ₀ were determined at each energy. Cross sections were also measured at E_c.m. = 947 and 1255 keV by counting the γ-rays from the ⁷Be produced in a ³He gas cell with a Ni entrance foil. Combining the results of these two independent experiments yields a zero-energy intercept for the cross-section factor of S₃₄(0) = 0.53 ± 0.03 keV · b. The relationship between these measurements and several theoretical calculations, and the import of the extrapolated cross section for the solar-neutrino problem are discussed.     

Reorientation effect measurements in 124Te, 126Te and 128Te

Coulomb excitation probabilities of the first 2⁺ states of ¹²⁴Te, ¹²⁶Te and ¹²⁸Te have been determined. The measurement was performed by resolving the inelastically and elastically backward scattered ⁴He and ¹⁶O projectiles using an annular surface barrier detector. Quadrupole moments (Q₂₊) as well as the B(E2, 0⁺ → 2⁺) values were extracted by analyzing the excitation probabilities with the Winther-de Boer multiple Coulomb excitation program. The Q₂ deduced for the positive sign of the 2⁺ interference term are ?0.41 ± 0.08 e · b, ?0.144 ± 0.11 e · b and ?0.12 ± 0.09 e · b for ¹²⁴Te, ¹²⁶Te and ¹²⁸Te, respectively.     

Experimental determination of the electron screening potential energy for the d(d, n)3He Reaction in ZrD2 and D2O in the ultralow energy region

This work is devoted to measuring of the values of the astrophysical S-factors and electron screening potential energy for a d(d,n)³He reaction occurring at ultralow energies in zirconium deuteride ZrD₂ (3.5–7.0 keV) and heavy water D₂O (2.2–6.0 keV). The experiment was performed on the Hall pulsed plasma accelerator at the TPU Nuclear Physics Institute (Tomsk) with ZrD₂ and D₂O targets produced by the magnetron sputtering of zirconium in a deuterium environment and heavy water freezing-out on a copper support, respectively. A χ ² analysis of the dependence of the neutron yields and astrophysical S-factors for the dd reaction on the deuteron collision energy E revealed that the upper bounds of the electron screening potential energy for interacting deuterons in ZrD₂ and D₂O and of the astrophysical S-factors at the deuteron collision energy E = 0 were U _e (ZrD₂) < 30 eV, U _e (D₂O) < 25 eV, S(0) = (57.2 ± 3.9) keV · b (ZrD₂), S(0) = (58.6 ± 3.6) keV · b (D₂O) at the 90% confidence level.     

Energy dependence of the 24Mg(16O, 12C)28Si reaction

Excitation functions for the reaction ²⁴Mg(¹⁶O, ¹²C)²⁸Si(g.s., 2⁺₁) were measured at 5°(lab) in the energy range 32 < E_c.m. < 49 MeV. Although the resonant structure, previously observed at lower energies, becomes progressively weaker, three new correlated maxima have been observed near E_c.m. = 37.5, 40.2 and 43.5 MeV. Angular distribution measurements at these energies yield spin assignments, from P²_j(cos θ) comparisons, of 27, 29 and 31, respectively. Attempts to find a consistent optical-model fit to the elastic scattering in the entrance channel and an exact finite-range DWBA fit to the four-nucleon transfer reaction in this energy range were unsuccessful. Such a failure is to be expected if strong couplings between the elastic channel and inelastic channels of either the initial or final system are important. The features of the resonance phenomena in the transfer reaction are discussed within a band crossing model framework.     

The heavy-ion reaction channels of the system 16O + 16O

The reaction channels of the system ¹⁶O + ¹⁶O with outgoing heavy particles from lithium to magnesium have been measured using a ΔE-E telescope. Excitation functions from 49 to 65 MeV at θ_Lab = 30° and angular distributions from θ_Lab = 10° (20°) to 50° at E_Lab = 51.5 MeV are presented for the strong transitions. The excitation function of the ¹²C-²⁰Ne (4.25 MeV) channel shows a pronounced regular cross structure with peaks at 52 and 60 MeV. A selective excitation of certain states in the inelastic scattering and the ¹²C-²⁰Ne channel is observed; the yields of the other heavy-ion channels being weaker by at least one order of magnitude. An explanation of this phenomenon is given by considering the angular momentum matching between entrance and exit channels. Furthermore it is shown that no strong dependence of the cross sections on the transferred angular momentum or on the nuclear structure of the final states is observed. Possible implications of these results on the reaction mechanism are discussed.     

Ionic lithium conductivity in sulphur base glasses. 7Li NMR study of xLi2S−(1−x)GeS2 system

The lithium mobility in glasses of composition xLi₂S?(1?x)GeS₂ has been followed by c.w. (for x = 0.3; 0.4 and 0.5) and pulsed NMR (for x = 0.3 and 0.5) between ? 150 and + 280°C.The second moment of the resonance line of ⁷Li(0.89–1.51 G²) is proportional to the molar fraction of Li₂S, which may be correlated to an homogeneous Li nuclei distribution.The resonance line profiles and their thermal evolution seem to show that some Li⁺ ions do not participate in the conduction.Thermal variation of the spin-lattice relaxation time T₁, shows a strongly asymmetrical shape, if one considers In $\text{T}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}{}_1\text{= ?(T}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{)}$ on both sides of the observed maxima. This behaviour may be explained by a distribution of the Li correlation times τ corresponding to different jump distances between various possible sites. The Cole-Davidson model allows the best agreement between experimental and theoretical values of the correlation times.The activation energies deduced from this model are close to those obtained from conductivity measurements (0.43 eV by NMR, 0.56 eV by conductivity determinations for x = 0.50), they may be correlated to the longer Li⁺ jumps in the vitreous matrix.     

The forgotten 1D2 level of charmonium

The standard “charmonium” picture predicts four C=+1 states (³P₀, ³P₁, ³P₂, 2 ¹S₀) between ψ and ψ′. If these are identified with the four experimentally observed levels, serious difficulties arise. We remark that a ,,forgotten” ¹D₂ level (J^PC=2^?) is likely to be around 3.5 GeV. It may be identified with χ(2.45) or χ(3.50), avoiding the above above difficulties. The 2 ¹S₀ level has then yet to be discovered.     

An investigation of the energy exchange mechanisms involving the 23S metastable level in an RF helium plasma

The energy exchange mechanisms present in a pure helium and a helium-neon plasma were investigated using spectroscopic diagnostic techniques. The plasma was spatially resolved and only the volume element at the plasma centerline was considered in the energy- exchange analysis. The experiment was conducted with a constant total pressure of 0·7 torr, a fixed oscillator frequency of 4 MHz, and a constant input power of 1·8 kW. Emission line spectroscopy was used to determine the population densities of 16 levels in the n³S, n³P, and n³D series. Spatially resolved, self-absorption measurements of the 2³P-2³S transition were used to determine the 2³S metastable level number density. The electron number density of 3·3 × 10¹³ cm^-3 was determined from the spatially resolved H_β blue wing profile, and a lower bound excitation temperature of 8800 °K was determined from a Boltzmann plot of the spatially resolved lower bound levels of the excited helium. The addition of 10% and 20% by volume of neon gas caused a measurable decrease in the population densities of the lower bound levels of helium, while the electron number density and lower bound excitation temperature remained unchanged. Three energy exchange models (local thermal equilibrium, corona, and collisional- radiative) were examined, and the collisional-radiative model was found to best describe the excitation processes for the 2³S level. This model was also appropriate for describing the helium-neon plasma at this level.     

Rotational analysis of the B3Π(0+) → X1Σ+ band systems of 35Cl35Cl and 35Cl37Cl in the chlorine afterglow emission spectrum

The B³Π(0⁺) → X¹Σ⁺ band system of Cl₂, excited by the recombination of ground state $\text{Cl}{}^2\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ atoms at total pressures near 2 Torr, has been rotationally analyzed in the range 6300–9900 Å. About 30 bands, with 0 ≤ v′ ≤ 6 and 5 ≤ v″ ≤ 14, were investigated, mostly for both ³⁵Cl³⁵Cl and ³⁵Cl³⁷Cl. The band origins and rotational constants for the B state were obtained with the help of the known constants for the ground state. The principal molecular constants (cm^?1) for the B³Π(0⁺) state of ³⁵Cl³⁵Cl are as follows: T_e′ = 17 817.67(3); ω_e′ = 255.38(3); ω_e′x_e′ = 4.59(1); ω_e′y_e′ = ?0.038(8); D_e′ = 3341.17(14); B_e′ = 0.16313(3); α_e′ = 2.42(3) × 10^?3; γ_e′ = ?5.7(7) × 10^?5. The equilibrium internuclear separation is 2.4311(2) Å. The results of Briggs and Norrish on a transient absorption spectrum of Cl₂ assigned as $\text{0}{}_{\mathrm{g}}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{← B}{}^3\text{Π}\text{(0}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}$ are reinterpreted with the present constants.     

Reorientation effect measurements of 122Te and 130Te

Coulomb excitation probabilities of the first 2 ⁺ states of ¹²²Te and ¹³⁰Te have been determined. The measurement was performed by resolving the inelastically and elastically scattered ⁴He and ¹⁶O projectiles using eight surface barrier detectors between 44° and 173°. Quadrupole moments Q₂⁺ as well as B(E2, 0⁺ → 2⁺) values were deduced. The Q₂⁺ found for the positive sign of the 2₂⁺ interference term are ?0.46±0.05 e · b and ?0.15±0.10 e · b for ¹²²Te and ¹³⁰Te respectively.     

Absolute cross sections for the 6Li(p, 3He)4He reaction at energies below 1 MeV

Total cross sections and angular distributions in the ⁶Li(p,³He)⁴He reaction have been measured over the energy range E_p = 100?700 keV. The extrapolation of the cross section to the energy region which is of interest in controlled thermonuclear reactors is given. The values of the “astrophysical S-function” are deduced from the cross sections.     

12C(d, α2)10B and isospin violating two-step reactions

A model-independent S-matrix analysis for the isospin violating ¹²C(d, α₂)¹⁰B(E_x = 1.74 MeV) reaction was performed and the results compared to a recently published two-step coupled channels calculation. There are multiple solutions to the S-matrix fits. but it is found that none of the possible solutions are compatible with the partial-wave decomposition based upon the two-step mechanism. The data are satisfactorily fitted with a sum of Breit-Wigner resonances. When a non-resonant background is included in the calculation the result indicates that the magnitude of such a contribution is less than 2 % of the measured total cross section at E_d = 15 MeV and is consistent with zero. The reaction is therefore interpreted to proceed almost entirely through the compound nucleus.