TRANSVERSE POLARIZATION OF THE K-CONVERSION ELECTRONS FOLLOWING THE BETA DECAY OF Hg$sup 20$$sup 3$

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.132.346· OSTI ID:4646152

Llewellyn, R A; Steffen, R M

The transverse polarization of the K-conversion electrons following the BETA decay of Hg/sup 203/ was investigated. A lens spectrometer was used to focus the conversion electrons on a Mott-scattering for and the right-left asymmetry of the scattered conversion electrons in coincidence with the preceding BETA particles was measured. A detailed discussion of the instrumental corrections is presented. The degree of transverse polarization of the Hg conversion electrons in the plane defined by the momenta p/sub BETA / = mv of the BETA particles and p/sub c/ of the conversion electrons is described by P/ sub II/( theta ) = K(v/c) sin theta , where theta is the angle between p/sub BETA / and p/sub c/. The experiments yielded the value of the polarization constant K = plus or minus 0.62 plus or minus 0.08. The positive sign of K implies that the spin of the conversion electrons is pointing in the same direction as the BETA -particle momentum p/sub BETA /, A comparison with the theory of Becker and Rose shows that the experimental value of K is compatible with the spin assignments I/sub i/ = 1/2 and I/sub i/ = 3/2 to the ground state of Hg/sup 203/. The spin I/sub i/ = 5/2 is excluded. The most probable spin assignment is I/sub i/ = 3/2, which gives good agreement with the observed polarization if the ratio y' of the scalar and the vector-type beta matrix elements is y' = --1.25 plus or minus 0.15. (auth)

• Research Organization: Purdue Univ., Lafayette, Ind.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-038127
• OSTI ID: 4646152
• Report Number(s): TID-19115; 0031-899X
• Journal Information: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D, Journal Name: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D Vol. Vol: 132; ISSN PHRVA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BETA DECAY
BETA PARTICLES
COINCIDENCE METHODS
ENERGY LEVELS
ERRORS
FOILS
INSTRUMENTS
LENSES
MATRICES
MEASURED VALUES
MERCURY 203
MOMENTUM
PHYSICS
POLARIZATION
SCATTERING
SPECTROMETERS
SPIN
VECTORS