Deuteron photodisintegration. I. Theory and results at low energies

We extend the “elementary-particle treatment” of deuteron electrodisintegration at small excitation energies, as recently developed by Hwang, Henley, and Miller, by incorporating more (np)-scattering states so that deuteron disintegration by low-energy photons (e.g., ≤150 MeV) can also be investigated. As compared to the well-known formalism obtained by Partovi, the present theory has the following distinct features: The nucleon-only impulse approximation (NOIA), as modified to incorporate gauge invariance (GI), is assumed to be valid only in the Breit frame, in which the initial and final nuclear systems are treated symmetrically. The matrix element of the electromagnetic current is thus determined in the Breit frame and then transformed into the CM frame (i.e., the rest frame for the final n + p, or initial γ + D, system). In addition, the difference between the resultant $\text{NOIA}\text{GI}$ and the NOIA is determined explicitly in every channel.Numerical results are obtained for the Reid soft-core potential with extensions required for J > 2 scattering states. Our major result is that there is no substantial discrepancy between the θ_p = 0° data of Hughes et al. and the prediction of this formalism. General features of this formalism, including angular distributions at low energies, are discussed in quantitative terms. Other important results at these energies include: (1) the ³F_J(np)-scattering states are found to be important for E_γ ≥ 20 MeV, especially at forward and backward angles (i.e., θ_p ～ 0° or 180°); (2) the meson-exchange currents arising from intermediate isobar |Δ(1232)| propagation, with or without energy transfer effects, are not yet of any numerical significance; and (3) the results exhibit sensitivity to details of final-state interactions.     

CW diode pumping and FM mode locking of a Nd: KGW laser

We have demonstrated cw diode end pumping of Nd: KGW, a novel solid-state gain medium, with up to 30% conversion efficiency into near-TEM₀₀ (M² < 1.05) output at = 1.067 µm for a pump level of 2.7 W. The slope efficiency was limited by intracavity reflections to 36%; however, direct comparison to a similar Nd:YAG laser indicates the same intrinsic slope efficiency of 60%. FM mode locking of this laser at 200 MHz has produced 12 ps pulses (compared to 16 ps for Nd: YAG), although an intracavity etalon was required. Considerable reduction in pulse width is possible (the line width limit is 0.5 ps) but different techniques may be necessary. Spatial hole burning was evident in both the 120 GHz free-running spectrum and the etalon-limited mode-locked spectrum.     

A study of s - wave π π scattering in the reaction πn → ππp at 2.15 GeV/c

We have studied the 2_π⁰ final states in the reaction π⁺d → π⁰π⁰p(p) at 2.15 GeV/c in a 2 million picture exposure of the PPA rapid cycling deuterium bubble chamber. Two tantalum plates were added to the bubble chamber to convert γ rays which were kinematically constrained to a 2π⁰ hypothesis. The 2π⁰ mass spectrum is observed to saturate s-wave unitarity in the ππ mass region between 0.6 and 0.9 GeV/c², clearly favoring the ‘up-down’ or broad resonance solution for s-wave, I = 0, ππ scattering.     

Laser fluorescence on radio-active isotopes produced in very low yield

East particle-photon coincidence techniques, developed at Daresbury with strontium isotopes, allow ultrasensitive laser fluorescence spectroscopy of beams of radio-active isotopes which can only be produced in very low yields. The technique has now been applied to neutron-deficient barium isotopes down to¹²⁰Ba. From measured hyperfine splittings and isotope shifts, nuclear moments and changes in mean square radii have been determined. The work has revealed an abrupt increase in the mean square radius for¹²¹Ba large enough to disrupt the systematic staggering of nuclear size seen for the series. In a recent experiment an isomeric state of¹²⁷Ba with a half-life of about 2 seconds has been produced in a very low yield; nevertheless we have succeeded in obtaining a fluorescence spectrum.