Investigations of positronium formation and destruction using 3gamma/2gammaannihilation-ratio measurements

Positronium (Ps) produced by 4 to 40 eV positrons colliding with Ne, Ar, Kr, CO2, and O2 is investigated by measuring the ratio of signals of two gamma rays in coincidence resulting from (a) three gamma annihilation of ortho-Ps and (b) two annihilation gamma rays due to para-Ps decay and destruction of ortho-Ps at an aluminum scattering cell surface. These ratios provide evidence that relates to the kinetic energy dependence of ortho-Ps interactions with an aluminum surface, the Ps formation potential at this surface, and the fact that Ps is being formed with inner orbital electrons for CO2 and O2.     

Experimental evidence for spin-orbit interactions in positronium-Xe collisions

Spin-orbit interaction of positronium (Ps) with the surrounding atoms, predicted by Mitroy and Novikov [Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 183202 (2003)], has been detected experimentally. We have found that the lifetime of the magnetically unperturbed ortho-Ps in Xe gas of 1 atm decreases significantly when a magnetic field of 1.0 T is applied. This decrease is attributed to the Ps spin conversion caused by spin-orbit interaction during Ps-Xe collision. The annihilation cross section of ortho-Ps due to this interaction has been determined to be 3 times as large as that expected by Mitroy and Novikov.     

Measurements of positronium formation cross sections for positron-ar and-K scattering

We have made preliminary measurements of positronium (Ps) formation cross sections for 9 to 452 eV positrons scattered from Ar atoms and for 1 to 20 eV positrons scattered from K atoms. Our experimental approach involves setting lower and upper limits on Ps formation cross sections using a combination of (1) the detection of the coincidences of 511 keV annihilation gamma rays produced by the decay of para-Ps and by the interaction of ortho-Ps with the wall of the scattering cell in which the Ps is formed, and (2) the determination of scattering cross sections associated with the measured transmission of the positron beam through the gas in our scattering cell with the angular discrimination of our apparatus deliberately made as poor as possible. The constraints placed by these lower and upper limits are used to check for consistency with prior experimental and theoretical results for Ar and to provide the first measurements of Ps formation cross sections for K, which are compared with available theoretical results.     

Mössbauer investigations on intramolecularly phosphoryl coordinated organotin compounds

Recently, high-quality positron annihilation lifetime measurements showed that four components of lifetime spectra for many liquids could be resolved. The well-known three components (para-Ps (positronium), free positron, and ortho-Ps) and a short-lived ortho-Ps component were obtained in many liquids. This short-lived ortho-Ps is probably caused by secondary reactions of ortho-Ps and other reactants, such as a positive ion, in the positron spur. We report the first results of measurements of the yield of this short-lived ortho-Ps component in the system of hexane and the electron scavengers CCl₄, CS₂, C₆F₆, and SF₆.Deceased.     

Second bound state of PsH

The existence of a second bound state of PsH that is electronically stable and also stable against positron annihilation by the normal 2gamma and 3gamma processes is demonstrated by explicit calculation. The state can be found in the ;{2,4}S;{o} symmetries with the two electrons in a spin-triplet state. The binding energy against dissociation into the H(2p)+Ps(2p) channel was 7.03 x 10;(-4) hartree. The dominant decay mode of the states will be radiative decay into a configuration that autoionizes or undergoes positron annihilation. The NaPs system of the same symmetry is also electronically stable with a binding energy of 1.514 x 10;(-3) hartree with respect to the Na(3p)+Ps(2p) channel.     

正电子偶素(o-Ps)寿命困惑及其最终解决

正电子偶素o-Ps是由电子和正电子组成的纯轻子束缚系统，o-Ps在真空中的寿命可由量子电动力学进行精确的理论计算，但长期以来理论值和实验测量值之间存在较大的偏差，为了解决这一问题，理论和实验物理学经过长期共同努力，最终于近年解决了o-Ps寿命困惑．文章简要介绍了正电子偶素o-Ps寿命理论值和实验值之间不一致的历史状况和最近的实验技术的改进以及该问题的最终解决情况，并重点介绍了Tokyo实验组和Michigan实验组的最新结果．     

Unified treatment of positron annihilation and positronium formation

The effects of the positron (e(+)) annihilation in e(+) scattering by the H atom are included directly in the Hamiltonian as an absorption potential, and hence the finite lifetimes Gamma(ns) of positronium (Ps) in states ns are automatically taken account of. The Schr?dinger equation is solved using the hyperspherical close-coupling method. The annihilation and Ps formation are shown to be inseparable near the Ps(1s) threshold E(th); Ps formation constitutes just an indirect pathway to annihilation. The annihilation cross section, which would diverge near E(th) if Gamma(1s) were infinite, connects smoothly across E(th) to the cross section for Ps formation, which is meaningful only at energies well above E(th).     

Dipole excitation of the positronium molecule ps2

The energy interval between the ground and the P-wave excited states of the recently discovered positronium molecule Ps2 is evaluated, including the relativistic and the leading logarithmic radiative corrections, E_{P}-E_{S}=0.181 586 7(8) a.u.. The P state, decaying usually via annihilation, is found to decay into the ground state by an electric dipole transition 19% of the time. Anticipated observation of this transition will provide insight into this exotic system.     

Depth-dependent positronium formation in γ-irradiated polymers after 30-month aging

Depth-dependent positronium (Ps) formation and annihilation study of Co-60 γ-irradiated polyethylene and polytetrafluorethylene were performed. After 30-month aging, no free radicals effect on Ps formation was detected for the studied polymers. Efficient trapping of back-diffusion positrons was observed in heavily irradiated samples, where Ps formation probability near polymer surface and in the bulk turns to be equivalent to each other. Results shown that positron annihilation Doppler broadening in polytetrafluorethylene is prevailingly influenced by high momentum electrons of fluorine atoms instead of Ps intensity.     

Positron-electron annihilation in the field of a fixed electric dipole

Positron annihilation from a dipole Ps state caused by simultaneous localization of the positron and electron in the field of a fixed electrical dipole is considered. The angular correlation curve of annihilation -quanta is calculated. For a fixed value of dipole moment the half width of the correlation curve decreases with decrease in dipole charge. With increase in dipole moment the correlation curve narrows. In a number of cases the given annihilation mechanism may be responsible for the appearance of the characteristic narrow component in the angular correlation spectrum. This component is usually ascribed to decay of a positronium atom. It is stressed that in interpreting the narrow component one must be careful in choosing the corresponding annihilation mechanism. Experimental results are analyzed.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 74–78, August, 1989.     

Beta-delayed proton emission from heavy nuclei: (I). The observation of coincidences between protons and γ-rays

Coincidences have been detected between γ-rays and β-delayed protons emitted after the decay of very neutron-deficient nuclei. In the three cases studied the decay proceeds to the ground state with branches to the first excited (2⁺) state of the even daughter nucleus of (58±7) % (¹¹⁵Xe to 709 keV in ¹¹⁴Te), (14±3) % (¹¹⁷Xe to 679 keV in ¹¹⁶Te), and (50±10) % (¹⁸¹Hg to 158 keV in ¹⁸⁰Pt). Upper limits of 2 and 6 % can be placed on the branches to the 4⁺ states of ¹¹⁴Te and ¹⁸⁰Pt. For the cases of ^115,117Xe, coincidences with annihilation radiation were also observed; the measured positon/proton ratio determines the difference Q—B_p, between the energy available for electron capture and the proton separation energy for the daughter. For ¹¹⁵Xe the result is 6.20±0.13 MeV, for ¹¹⁷Xe 4.10±0.20 MeV.     

Exchange collisions between positronium and Cu2+ ions

Summary The fate and properties of the ortho-Ps in aqueous solutions of CuSO₄ and CuCl₂ have been investigated through lifetime measurements and through a magnetic-quenching experiment. The obtained results are interpreted in terms of exchange collisions between Ps and unpaired electron. An upper limit is given for the chemical-quenching rate. Our measurements have shown that the presence of paramagnetic centres determines a strong shift of the levels of the Ps hyperfine structure. This work was entirely supported by CISM (Centro Interuniversitario di Struttura della Materia) of the Ministero della Publica Istruzione and by GNSM (Gruppo Nazionale di Struttura della Materia) of CNR.     

Enhancement of positron-atom annihilation near the positronium formation threshold

The behavior of the positron- 2 gamma annihilation rate on an atomic target near the positronium (Ps) formation threshold is determined. When the positron energy epsilon approaches the threshold epsilon(thr) from below, the effective number of electrons contributing to the annihilation, Z(eff), grows as Z(eff) approximately A/square root of [epsilon(thr)-epsilon], where A is related to the size of the Ps formation cross section, sigma(Ps) approximately B square root of [epsilon-epsilon(thr)], by A = B square root of [2 epsilon(thr)]/32 pi (in atomic units). Taking account of the finite Ps lifetime eliminates the singularity in Z(eff) and shows that close to threshold the positron annihilation cross section is identical to the para-Ps formation cross section.     

Positronium Decay in a Circular Polarized Laser Field

We calculate the lifetime of both the o-Ps and the p-Ps positronium annihilation decay Ps→γγ in the strong circular polarized laser field. We take a strategy of the factorization to separate the effects caused by the Coulomb interaction and the strong laser field interaction. It is factorized in the time direction but not in the space direction. Our results show that in the laser with long wavelength and high intensity, the lifetimes of those Ps states are dramatically increased. For CO₂ laser with 10 μm wavelength and 10¹³ W/cm² intensity, lifetime of the spin-single positronium is increased by 10⁸ times. Our result is consistent with those obtained by solving the Schödinger equation. This effect may be useful for the high harmonic generation (HHG) effects provided with the Ps [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70 (1993) 774; Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 013601].     

Multi-reference configuration interaction calculation of positronium fluoride 2,1S and 2,1P states

Multi-reference configuration interaction calculations for the ground state ^2,1S and an excited state ^2,1P of positronium fluoride (PsF) were performed, and their energies, the positronium (Ps) binding energies and the two-photon positron-electron pair annihilation rates were presented. From an analysis of the convergence pattern of the total energies and the two-photon annihilation rates with respect to the angular momentum of basis functions, an extrapolation method which may give accurate Ps binding energies and two-photon annihilation rates was applied. Estimated Ps binding energy for ^2,1S state of PsF was in good agreement with the recent reliable calculations. The structures of ^2,1S and ^2,1P states of PsF also were predicted from the point of view of the two-photon annihilation rate.     

Effect of interstitial impurities on positronium formed in voids of vanadium

Angular correlation of two-photon annihilation radiation (ACAR) measurements have been performed to study the effect of interstitial impurities (O, C and D) on positronium (Ps) formation in irradiation-induced voids of vanadium. It has been observed that Ps formation is sensitively affected by doping with the interstitial impurities, irradiation dose, irradiation temperature, and also by post-irradiation annealing. The Ps component intensity is found to be related to segregation of the interstitial impurities and provides a new experimental method to study void surfaces.     

Defects in electron irradiated amorphous SiO2 probed by positron annihilation

Defects in 3-MeV electron irradiated amorphous (a-) SiO₂ were studied by the positron annihilation technique. A high formation probability of positronium (Ps) was found for un-irradiated a-SiO₂ specimens. These Ps atoms were considered to be trapped by vacancy-type defects. The formation probability of Ps was drastically decreased by the electron irradiation. This fact can be attributed to an introduction of vacancy-type defects such as oxygen vacancies by the electron irradiation and a resultant trapping of positrons by such defects.     

Positronium annihilation in silica aerogel studied by a positron age-momentum correlation technique

A high-performance positron age-momentum correlation (AMOC) spectrometer was newly developed. The counting rate is increased up to 200 cps much larger than the value 20~cps reported by other international groups. And at the same time, the time resolution still keeps at the international level of 220 ps. Furthermore, positronium (Ps) annihilation in silica aerogel was investigated by AMOC, which indicates: (1) Ps annihilation between the grains dominantly undergoes pick-off process and spin conversion from o-Ps to p-Ps; (2) Annealing below 400 ℃ changes the grain surface conditions, i. e. the desorption of hydrogen and the decrease of the defect centers concentration.     

Search for spin effect in positron interaction with optically active camphor

Summary The depolarization, relative to the direction of a magnetic field, which accompanies the slowing-down of positrons in the two enantiomers of camphor, down to the positronium formation energy, has been found to be greater (27%) in L-camphor. The measuring method was based on the Ps relative yield, in the magnetic field, in triplet and singlet state. All other annihilation features, as well as the intrinsic properties of Ps once formed, do not display significant differences between the two enantiomers. This work was supported by INFM (Consorzio Nazionale di Fisica della Materia).     

Localized positronium atoms in porous structures studied by 2D-ACAR

The localization of positronium (Ps) atoms was studied by measurements of two-dimensional angular correlation of positron annihilation radiation (2D-ACAR) for porous glasses. Annihilations of positron-electron pairs with a large anisotropy were found in 2D-ACAR spectra. This fact can be attributed to the momentum uncertainty due to the localization of Ps in a finite dimension of pores. The present investigation showed the possibility of the detection of microstructures in amorphous materials by the 2D-ACAR technique.