First observation of muonic hyperfine effects in pure deuterium

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.28.2611· OSTI ID:5268070

Kammel, P; Breunlich, W H; Cargnelli, M; Mahler, H G; Zmeskal, J; Bertl, W H; Petitjean, C

We discovered a strong hyperfine dependence of the resonant formation process of d..mu..d mesomolecules, while detecting neutrons from muon-catalyzed fusion in pure deuterium gas at 34 K. This new effect enabled us to observe directly transitions between hyperfine states of the ..mu..d atom for the first time and to determine an accurate experimental value for this transition rate. Our analysis demonstrates the importance of hyperfine effects for the quantitative understanding of the mechanism of resonant d..mu..d formation. Moreover, this experiment indicates that the resonant formation process is a powerful tool for a refined spectroscopy of d..mu..d bound states. Finally, the detailed knowledge about mesoatomic and mesomolecular processes obtained in this work provides valuable information for the analysis of experiments on the elementary muon-capture process in deuterium.

• Research Organization: Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
• OSTI ID: 5268070
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Vol. 28:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
DEUTERIUM
MUONIC MOLECULES
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
CATALYSIS
FUSION REACTIONS
MUONS MINUS
RESONANCE
WEAK INTERACTIONS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INTERACTIONS
ISOTOPES
LEPTONS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MESIC MOLECULES
MOLECULES
MUONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
STABLE ISOTOPES
640302* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
640303 - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Positronium
Muonium
& Muonic & Mesic Atoms & Molecules