0000000000043177
AUTHOR
C. Petitjean
Ordinary muon capture studies for the matrix elements in ββ decay
Precise measurement of $\gamma$-rays following ordinary (non-radiative) capture of negative muons by natural Se, Kr, Cd and Sm, as well as isotopically enriched $^{48}$Ti, $^{76}$Se, $^{82}$Kr, $^{106}$Cd and $^{150}$Sm targets was performed by means of HPGe detectors. Energy and time distributions were investigated and total life time of negative muon in different isotopes was deduced. Detailed analysis of $\gamma$-lines intensity allows to extract relative yield of several daughter nuclei and partial rates of ($\mu$,$\nu$) capture to numerous excited levels of the $^{48}$Sc, $^{76}$As, $^{82}$Br, $^{106}$Ag and $^{150}$Tc isotopes which are considered to be virtual states of an intermedia…
The Study of Prompt and Delayed Muon Induced Fission; II. Mean life times of negative muons bound to 237Np, 242Pu and 244Pu
The mean life times of negative muons bound to actinide nuclei have been measured by detecting the time difference between a stopped muon and the arrival of fragments from delayed fission after muon capture. The deduced capture rates c are 1.392(4)·107/s for237Np, 1.290(7)·107/s for242Pu and 1.240(7)·107/s for244Pu. The results are compared with published data for the fission and the neutron decay channels and for the electron decay of the bound muon. Including a former measurement of c for239Pu, an isotopic dependence of the muon capture rates in the Pu isotopes is clearly observed.
Measurement of trace impurities in ultra pure hydrogen and deuterium at the parts-per-billion level using gas chromatography
Abstract A series of muon experiments at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland deploy ultra-pure hydrogen active targets. A new gas impurity analysis technique was developed, based on conventional gas chromatography, with the capability to measure part-per-billion (ppb) traces of nitrogen and oxygen in hydrogen and deuterium. Key ingredients are a cryogenic admixture accumulation, a directly connected sampling system and a dedicated calibration setup. The dependence of the measured concentration on the sample volume was investigated, confirming that all impurities from the sample gas are collected in the accumulation column and measured with the gas chromatograph. The system was calibr…
The probability of prompt and delayed fission of muonic237Np
Fission fragments from the reaction237Np(μ−,γ,f) have been measured in coincidence with muonic X-rays. The efficiency of the fission fragment detector is determined from (μ−,γ,f)-data of the same experiment. The total fission probability perμ-stopPt has been measured as well as the fission probabilities Pf of the non-radiative muonic (3d→1s)- and (2p→1s)-transitions; the latter has been divided into two parts leading to different mean excitation energiesE:P t =(54±17)%,P f (3d→1s)=(41±21)%,P f (2p→1s,E=6.218 MeV)=(61±19)%, andP f (2p→1s,E=6.525 MeV)=(57±18)%. The influence of the muon on the fission barrier is discussed. The fission probability after muon capture is compared with a calculat…
Ordinary muon capture studies for the matrix elements in ββ decay
High-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors were used to make a precise measurement of the γ-ray spectrum produced following ordinary (nonradiative) capture of negative muons by natural Se, Kr, Cd, and Sm. The measurement was repeated for isotopically enriched 48Ti, 76Se, 82Kr, 106Cd, and 150Smtargets. By investigating energy and time distributions, the lifetime of negative muons in the different isotopes was deduced. A detailed analysis of the intensity of the γ lines enabled the extraction of the relative yields of several daughter nuclei. The partial rates of (μ−,ν) capture to numerous excited levels of the 48Sc, 76As, 82Br, 106Ag, and 150Tc isotopes (considered to be virtual states of the in…
Doppler-broadening of gamma rays following muon capture: search for scalar coupling
Abstract A precision measurement of the 277 keV γ ray produced by capturing muons in gaseous oxygen was performed using high-resolution HPGe detectors. The Doppler-broadened shape of this line is sensitive to the possible admixture into muon capture of genuine scalar interaction. This experiment complements, in the muon sector, in principle, similar ones undertaken recently in nuclear β decay. Using a procedure discussed in earlier papers, a fit to the experimental line-shape allowed us to obtain for the recoil–gamma correlation coefficient the value of a 1 2 =0.096±0.041 (95% CL). The available evaluations of the contributing nuclear matrix elements, performed in the impulse approximation …