High precision study of muon catalyzed fusion in D2 and HD gas

Muon catalyzed dd fusion in D₂ and HD gases in the temperature range from 28 to 350 K was investigated in a series of experiments based on a time-projection ionization chamber operating with pure hydrogen. All main observables in this reaction chain were measured with high absolute precision including the resonant and non-resonant ddμ formation rates, the rate for hyperfine transitions in dμ atoms, the branching ratio of the two charge symmetric fusion channels ³He + n and t + p and the muon sticking probability. The report presents the final analysis of the data together with a comprehensive comparison with calculations based on recent μCF theories. The energy of the loosely bound ddμ state with quantum numbers J = 1, ν = 1, which is central to the mechanism of resonant molecule formation, is extracted with precision ?₁₁(fit) = ?1.9651(7) eV. in impressive agreement with the latest theoretical results ?₁₁(theory) = ?1.9646 eV.     

Investigation of muonic hydrogen isotopes scattering from H2 molecule

Hyperfine Interactions - Knowledge of the cross sections for scattering of µp, µd and µt on molecules of hydrogen isotopes is necessary not only for checking the algorithmic solution...     

Microanalysis by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry in Comparison to Spark Ablation of Certified and Found Minerals Galena, Sphalerite, and Pyrite

A double-tandem technique of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) involving laser ablation for the analysis of compact or briquetted minerals on one hand and spark ablation for the analysis of powders on the other is presented. The technical arrangement, the design of the optimized sample chamber, the evaluation of operating conditions, and the test of liquid-solid calibration are described. Both techniques can be used for the determination of elemental compositions of minerals providing a dynamic range from tens of mass-percent down to milligrams per kilogram. The objective of this study was to compare laser ablation (LA)-ICP-AES and spark-ICP-AES with regard to accuracy, precision, and sample turnaround time for multielement analysis of the certified minerals galena GF1, sphalerite SF1, and pyrite PS1. A systematic error of smaller than 3% in both techniques and a random error of smaller than 9 and 5%, respectively, is pointed out. The optimized methods were applied to samples of galena, sphalerite, and pyrite from four deposits each to find fingerprints by different contents of major, minor, and trace elements, which characterize the deposits.     

Resonant formation measurements of dt\mu via time of flight

Solid hydrogen in the form of an inhomogeneous layered target offers several experimental advantages when compared with liquid or gas. Beams of non-thermalized muonic hydrogen atoms allow us to explore resonant molecular ion formation processes near eV kinetic energies. Isotopically specific layers make it possible to separate competing and confusing interactions and to employ the time of flight for comparison with predictions based on theoretical energy dependences. Unambiguous charged fusion product detection simplifies absolute intensity measurements. The systematic uncertainties encountered in resonant molecular ion formation measurements, using solid hydrogen target layers, are being investigated with simulations which use the many calculated energy-dependent rates and cross-sections which are now available. The importance of the rates for processes such as muon transfer and elastic scattering are discussed, and results of some recent analyses are presented. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Advantages and Limitations of Solid Layer Experiments in Muon Catalyzed Fusion

Since the discovery that muonic deuterium at energies near a few eV could travel distances of the order of 1 mm in condensed hydrogen, and in particular that muonic tritium and muonic deuterium could emerge from the surface of a solid hydrogen layer, the advantages of solid targets have enabled the study of several processes important in muon catalyzed fusion. A review of the results is presented, emphasizing the strengths and limitations of the use of solid hydrogen layer targets. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Muon-catalyzed fusion in deuterium at 3 K

Muon-catalyzed fusion in deuterium has traditionally been studied in gaseous and liquid targets. The TRIUMF solid hydrogen layer target system has been used to study the fusion reaction rates in the solid phase at a target temperature of 3 K. Both branches of the cycle were observed; neutrons by a liquid organic scintillator, and protons by a silicon detector located inside the target system. The effective molecular formation rate from the upper hyperfine state and the spin exchange rate have been measured, and information on the branching ratio parameters has been extracted.     

Emission of muonic tritium into vacuum: An atomic beam for muon experiments

The emission of muonic tritium atoms from a thin film of hydrogen isotopes into vacuum was observed. The time and position of the muon decays were measured by tracking the decay electron trajectory. The observations are useful both for testing the theoretical cross sections for muonic atomic interactions, and producing an atomic beam of slow μ^-t with a controllable energy. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Experimental investigation of the muon transfer reaction from deuterium to helium isotopes

Muon transfer from the ground state of muonic deuterium to a helium atom proceeds mainly via the formation of a muonic molecule in an excited state. A large number of decay X rays ( 6.8 keV) from these (dµHe)^* molecules were observed for the⁴He as well as for the³He case. The time distributions of these X rays allow the determination of the ground state transfer rate. The simultaneous employment of Ge/Si-detectors and CCDs for the same target conditions allows the determination of the branching ratio of radiative to nonradiative decay for the first time.     

A new project for the investigation of unsolved problems of ddµ and pdµ catalysis in D2 and H/D mixtures

We propose to study a number of open problems in ddµ and pdµ fusion using the new high-pressure ionization chamber for charged particle identification in coincidence with the n-/e-counter array for the detection of neutrons and µ-decay electrons. Our first objective will be a precise measurement of the absolute rates of resonant and non-resonant ddµ formation in D₂ and HD-gases and their temperature dependence from 40 to 350 K. Both output channels of the dd-reaction:³He + n and t + p will be observed and their ratio sensitive to contributions of S and P-waves will be determined. Simultaneously, we shall investigate the pdµ-cycle and determine the absolute pd-fusion yields in different molecular H/D compositions, observing tritons from nuclear muon capture in³Heµ: pdµ ³Heµ + . We have developed a special system for the preparation of HD-gas with high concentration (96%) of HD and a purity (10^–6).