Structure and annealing of (n, γ)-Induced point defects in CaF2

Neutron activated²⁰F nuclei (T _1/2=11 s) in CaF₂ serve for two purposes: first they produce well defined point defects by their (n, )-production mechanism, second, they act as probes to detect the properties of these defects in a- and-ray detected nuclear magnetic resonance experiment. Below about 70 K an interstitial defect is observed due to a quadrupolar splitting of the²⁰F-NMR line. The defect induced electric field gradient is oriented along the 111-axis of the crystal and causes a quadrupole coupling constante ² qQ/h=–2.0(1) MHz at the²⁰F site. The defect anneals above 70 K with an Arrhenius like temperature dependence corresponding to an activation energyE _M =0.17(4) eV.     

Sign of nuclear electric quadrupole coupling constants in solids fromγ-ray anisotropy measurements after capture of polarized neutrons

An experimental method is presented which allows the determination of the sign of nuclear electric quadrupole interactions in solids. Activated target nuclei with a purely dipolar spin polarization are produced by capture of polarized thermal neutrons. The quadrupole coupling of the nuclei to the electric field gradient tensor in the target crystal converts this (dipolar) polarization partly into a (quadrupolar) alignment, which can be measured by the anisotropy of the-ray emission in a succeeding nuclear transition. The sign of the alignment created in this reorientation process depends on the sign of the electric quadrupole interaction. The reorientation effect can be enhanced by selective induction of nuclear magnetic resonance transitions. The method has been applied to measure the sign of the crystal electric field gradient (efg) in tetragonal MgF₂. Further, the sign of an efg in cubic CaF₂ originating from a¹⁹F interstitial adjacent to the activated²⁰F probe nucleus has been determined. The method is in principle applicable to a considerable number of nuclides.     

Relaxation phenomena and nuclear magnetic resonance of116In(T 1/2=14s) produced by capture of polarized neutrons in the indium III–V compounds

Polarized¹¹⁶In nuclei have been produced by capture of polarized thermal neutrons in several In compounds. At temperaturesT below 77 °K and magnetic field strengthsH ₀ of several kOe, asymmetries of a few percent of the β^? decay of the¹¹⁶In ground state could be observed in polycrystalline InP, InAs and InSb, thus indicating the nuclear polarization. Nuclear magnetic resonance signals have been measured with the result for the magnetic moment μ _i (¹¹⁶In)=2.7723 (10) nm (uncorrected). β^? decay asymmetry and spin lattice relaxation timeT ₁ have been studied as a function ofH ₀ andT. The effect ofH ₀ is to decouple the hyperfine interaction caused by the capture-γ recoil process. However,H ₀ has no influence uponT ₁, which demonstrates the absence of nuclear relaxation due to paramagnetic impurities.T ₁ is determined by quadrupolar relaxation. A quadrupole momentQ(¹¹⁶In)=0.09 (2) b was calculated by comparison of the¹¹⁶In relaxation rates with those of the stable¹¹⁵In isotope in the same compounds. Above 30 °K the temperature dependence of 1/T ₁ agrees with a recent theoretical investigation. Below 30 °K the relaxation rate shows an anomalous behaviour, which can be explained by resonance modes due to recoil lattice defects.     

Isomeric states and rotational structure in the doubly-odd nucleus176Ta

The doubly-odd nucleus¹⁷⁶Ta is investigated by means of in-beamγ-ray spectroscopy techniques using the reactions (α, 3n), (d, 2n) and (p, n). Life-time measurements in thens-region yield low-lying isomeric states withT _1/2=13±1 ns and 30.5±1 ns, while measurements in the ms-region show the existence of a 1.1±0.1 ms isomeric state. A rotational sequence, withK=5 or 6 for the band-head, is also observed.     

Isomeric E1 and M1 transitions in 177Ta and in neighbouring odd-A Lu and Ta isotopes

Delayed γ-ray spectra as well as time distributions have been measured applying the r.f.-γ method and the method of delayed γ-γ coincidences. Using the reaction ¹⁷⁵Lu(α, 2n)¹⁷⁷Ta, the half-lives of the levels at 70.6 and 73.6 keV in ¹⁷⁷Ta have been determined as $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 80±10}\text{ns}$ and $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 370±50}\text{ns}$, respectively. In further experiments, upper limits for the lifetimes of the $\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[514]}$ and $\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{[402]}$ states in ¹⁷¹Lu and ¹⁷³Lu were estimated. Comparisons of the experimental half-lives to Weisskopf and Nilsson model predictions are performed taking into account pairing correlations. For the calculations, a modified Nilsson Hamiltonian has been used. The hindrance factors obtained are summarized together with those deduced for corresponding transitions in neighbouring odd-proton nuclei. From the experimental results in ¹⁷⁷Ta, conclusions have been drawn on the possible value of the constant k₂ occurring in the magnetic dipole operator.     

Measurement of the nuclear magnetic moment of110Ag(T 1/2=24.4 s)

Nuclear magnetic resonance of¹¹⁰Ag has been observed in silver halides using the polarized neutron capture,β decay anisotropy method. The magnetic moment was determined asμ _I(¹¹⁰Ag)=2.7084 (5) nm (uncorrected).     

The beta-decay asymmetry of the neutron

The beta-decay asymmetry of the free neutron is measured with polarized neutrons and a long solenoidal beta-spectrometer with 4π electron-detection solid angle. The asymmetry parameter corrected for recoil and weak magnetism isA ₀=?0.1146±0.0019, implyingg _A /g _v =1.262±0.005 for the ratio of the axial-vector to the vector weak coupling constants.