The puzzle ofKα bound state

Kaonic atom experiments suggest existence of a narrow nuclear¯K bound state and indicate blocking of¯K absorption. This blocking is explained in terms of ₀ resonance and interactions with the nuclear density gradient.Presented at the symposium Mesons and Light Nuclei, Bechyn, Czechoslovakia, May 27–June 1, 1985.     

α Emission in proton induced reactions

The continuous spectra of theα particles emitted in reactions induced by protons on⁹³Nb,¹⁰⁷Ag,¹¹⁸Sn,¹⁶⁵Ho,¹⁶⁹Tm have been measured at several energies ranging from 20 to 45 MeV. The spectra have been analysed in the framework of the Exciton model assuming that the emittedα's pre-existed in the target nucleus and evaluating their energy distribution on the basis of nucleon-α scattering dynamics in nuclear matter. Nuclear Reactions⁹³Nb,¹⁰⁷Ag,¹¹⁸Sn,¹⁶⁵Ho,¹⁶⁹Tm(p,α...).E=20–45MeV; Measured \(\frac{{d\sigma (E_\alpha )}}{{dE_\alpha }}\) ; calculated \(\frac{{d\sigma (E_\alpha )}}{{dE_\alpha }}\) .     

Structural and electrical properties of the α-form of metal-free phthalocyanine (α-H2Pc) semiconducting thin films

An X-ray structural study of thermally evaporated metal-free phthalocyanine thin films with various film thicknesses was performed. All samples studied had polycrystalline structure and the unit cell was found to be of the α-form. Variation of the deposition rate from 0.5 to 1 nm s⁻¹ had little effect on the structure. The films exhibit preferential orientation at low thickness; however, at higher thickness they become less orientated as additional peaks appear in the spectrum. The increase in the intensity of the first significant low angle peak with increasing thickness is attributed to the increased volume of the crystal probed during the X-ray exposure.The current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics of α-H₂Pc films sandwiched between two aluminum electrodes showed ohmic behavior at low voltages and space–charge-limited conduction (SCLC) at higher voltages. For comparison, similar measurements of the current density as a function of voltage were performed on zinc phthalocyanine, ZnPc, thin films using aluminum electrodes. The J–V characteristics showed ohmic behavior at low voltages followed by SCLC dominated by an exponential trap distribution at higher voltages. Consequently, in both H₂Pc and ZnPc films, aluminum electrodes act as if they are ohmic contacts. The implied provision of ohmic contacts using aluminum in this case is attributed to the formation of a thin Al₂O₃ layer during the deposition process.     

Low-Energy 12C States in Three-α Model

Cross sections for three-α photodisintegration process of the¹²C nucleus are calculated by a Faddeev formalism, from which 0⁺- and 2⁺ low-lying resonant ¹²C states are studied. The triple-alpha reaction rate is evaluated from the calculated cross sections of the disintegration process.     

Non-resonant Triple-α Reaction Rate at Low Temperature

The triple α reaction rate in stars is quite important in many astrophysical scenarios including the stellar evolution and carbon synthesis in stars. Recently the non-resonant triple α reaction rate has been reevaluated using a calculation with the continuum-discretized coupled-channels (CDCC) method, which dramatically increased the rate at low temperature compared to the widely-used NACRE compilation. Since the enhancement influences strongly on astrophysical model simulations, we have planned an experiment for drawing conclusion on the non-resonant triple α reaction rate at low temperature by measuring the three-α continuum state in ¹²C. We report the present situation of the experiment.     

α preformation and penetration probability for heavy nuclei

The α preformation factor and penetration probability have been analyzed for even--even nuclei of Po, Rn, Ra using experimental released energies and α decay half-lives in the frame of the double folding model. It is shown that N=126 is a neutron magic number from α preformation and shell effects play an important role in α preformation. The closer the nucleon number is to the magic number, the more difficult α formation in the parent nucleus is. The preformation factor can supply information on the nuclear structure and the penetration probability mainly determines α decay half-life.     

α decay energies and half-lives from a macroscopic-microscopic model

α decay energies of 323 heavy nuclei with Z≥82 are evaluated with a macroscopic-microscopic model. In this model, the macroscopic part is treated by the continuous medium model and the microscopic part consists of shell and pairing corrections based on the Nilsson potential. α decay half-lives are calculated by Viola-Seaborg formula. The results of α decay energies and half-lives are compared with experimental values and satisfactory agreement is found. The recoiling effect of the daughter nucleus on α decay half-life is also discussed.     

2α + t Cluster Structure in 11B

Structures of excited states in ¹¹B are investigated with a method of β – γ constraint antisymmetrized molecular dynamics in combination with the generator coordinate method. Various cluster structures are suggested in excited states. For negative-parity states, we suggest a band with a 2α + t cluster structure. This band starts from the ${3/2^{-}_{3}}$ state and can correspond to the experimental band observed recently. We find that the feature of the ${3/2^{-}_{3}}$ is quite similar to the ${0^{+}_{2}}$ state in ¹²C.     

Two New Solutions of Non-constant-α Force-Free Magnetic Field

Two new solutions for non-constant-α force-free magnetic field are found analytically. Implications of the results to astrophysical solar plasmas as well tokamak plasmas are discussed.     

16O nucleus in the 4α cluster model

The ¹⁶O nucleus is treated as a bound state of the four-alpha-particle system showing 3α + α clustering. The pair interaction of the alpha particles involved is simulated by a phenomenological potential. Additional three-particle potentials are introduced in order that the entire system and its three-particle subsystems be bound. The parameters of these potentials are determined by fitting the experimental values of the binding energies and the root-mean-square radii of the ¹²C and ¹⁶O nuclei. The calculations are performed on the basis of the s-wave differential equations for the Faddeev and Yakubovsky components. The ground and the first excited state of the ¹⁶O nucleus are investigated. The most probable spatial arrangement of the alpha-particle clusters in the system is determined. The charge form factors are calculated for the ¹²C and ¹⁶O nuclei. The results of our model calculations comply well with experimental data.     

The nature of low redshift damped Ly-α systems

Damped Ly-α systems are the major repository of the observed neutral HI at high redshift. These systems are most efficiently detected via absorption spectra taken against distant QSOs. In this paper, we review some of the observational constraints on the nature of these objects, and also discuss the implications of recent observations of two low redshift damped absorbers, made with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. We find that, for the lowest redshift (z = 0.0912) damped Ly-α system, if the system is a rotating gas disk, then the total associated HI mass has to be less than 2 × 10⁹ M⊙, if the disk is at low inclination angles, and less than 10¹⁰ M⊙ if the system is edge on. All limits are 3σ.     

α decay energies and half-lives from a macroscopic-microscopic model

α decay energies of 323 heavy nuclei with Z≥82 are evaluated with a macroscopic-microscopic model.In this model,the macroscopic part is treated by the continuous medium model and the microscopic part consists of shell and pairing corrections based on the Nilsson potential.α decay half-lives are calculated by Viola-Seaborg formula.The results of α decay energies and half-lives are compared with experimental values and satisfactory agreement is found.The recoiling effect of the daughter nucleus on α decay half-life is also discussed.     

Two New Solutions of Non-constant-α Force-Free Magnetic Field

Two new solutions for non-constant-α force-free magnetic field are found analytically. Implications of the results to astrophysical solar plasmas as well tokamak plasmas are discussed.     

The triple-α process and the origin of the elements

The triple-α process is the nuclear fusion of helium to carbon. Two ⁴He nuclei collide and form an unstable state of ⁸Be. Before this can decay back a third α-particle collides with it to form a ¹²C nucleus. The reaction rate is probably the most temperature sensitive known to physics because there is a resonant state of the ¹²C nucleus at just the energy of the ⁸Be? and the ⁴He that have the greatest chance of penetrating the Coulomb barrier. The reaction takes place in stars that have exhausted their central hydrogen fuel. Most interesting are the asymptotic giants that can dredge the carbon produced to the surface and return it, perhaps first processing it to nitrogen, to the interstellar medium. The fortuitous energy of the resonant state of ¹²C and its consequences are crucial to the way stars evolve and the abundance of carbon on the Earth.     

Linear chain structure of four-α clusters in 16O

We investigate the linear chain configurations of four-α clusters in 16O using a Skyrme cranked Hartree-Fock method and discuss the relationship between the stability of such states and angular momentum. We show the existence of a region of angular momentum (13-18?) where the linear chain configuration is stabilized. For the first time we demonstrate that stable exotic states with a large moment of inertia (?2/2Θ～0.06-0.08 MeV) can exist.     

飞秒激光-物质相互作用产生Kα X射线

 用无色散X射线谱仪分别在靶前后测量了飞秒激光辐照铜箔产生的Kα X射线,获得了能量转换效率。入射激光脉冲宽度33 fs,能量在50 mJ～5 J,强度10₁₇～10₁₉ W/cm₂。靶后发射的Kα X射线强度随入射激光能量的增加而增加,其单色性较靶前好。采用100 μm厚靶,其能量转换率为2.2×10_-5。     

X-ray emission via Kα resonance complexes in gold ions

The excitation energies from ground state for 63 fine structure levels of the terms belonging to 1 s², 1snl, 2lnl′ (n = 2,3), 3l3l′ (l ≠ ≠ l′) configurations of Au⁷⁷⁺, as well as oscillator strengths for electric-dipole-allowed and intercombination transitions among the fine-structure levels were theoretically evaluated. The important relativistic effects in intermediate coupling are incorporated by means of the Breit–Pauli Hamiltonian. Extensive comparisons are performed with several approximations and previous data sets in order to size up contributing effects and to estimate accuracy ratings. The atomic excitation is obtained by electron impact in close coupling approach. For optically allowed transitions, the electron-impact collision strengths at collision energy up to 80 keV are reported. The results are relevant to the laboratory and astrophysical plasmas.     

Spatial characteristics of Kα radiation from weakly relativistic laser plasmas

The spatial dependence of K _α emission generated from laser-produced hot electrons is investigated experimentally and theoretically. In addition, the conversion efficiency of K _α production as a function of laser intensity is measured and compared with modeling results. We use the terawatt Ti:sapphire laser at MPQ and vary the peak intensity from 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁸ W/cm² with a pulse duration of 200 fs. A solid Cu target is placed at various positions in the laser focus, which allows one to vary the intensity but keep the total energy on the target constant. When the target is near best focus, the FWHM of the K _α emission, measured using a knife-edge, is considerably larger than the FWHM of the laser intensity. In measuring the efficiency of K _α production using the fundamental wavelength of the laser, a clear maximum of K _α emission is observed at a position away from best focus, where the peak intensity is down by more than an order of magnitude from the value at best focus. When the second harmonic of the laser is used, the K _α emission is peaked near best focus. The K _α emission from layer targets is used to obtain an estimate of the temperature of the hot electrons. Modeling of K _α production, using a Monte Carlo electron/photon transport code, shows the relationship between incident electron energy and the emitted K _α emission. Efficient K _α generation from the low-intensity wings of the laser pulse contributes to the large spot size of the K _α emission. The lower electron temperatures that are expected for the second harmonic explain the differences in the location of maximum K _α emission for the two wavelengths. We discuss the use of K _α emission in photoionizing inner-shell electrons with the goal of achieving X-ray lasing at short wavelengths. Received: 6 April 1999 / Revised version: 31 May 1999 / Published online: 11 August 1999