Determination of the first ionization potential of berkelium and californium by resonance ionization mass spectroscopy

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.52192· OSTI ID:542097

Nunnemann, M ^[1]; Eberhardt, K; Erdmann, N; Herrmann, G ^[2]; Huber, G ^[1]; Koehler, S; Kratz, J V; Naehler, A ^[2]; Passler, G ^[1]; Trautmann, N ^[2]

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1. Institut fuer Physick, Universitaet Mainz, D-55099 Mainz (Germany)
2. Institut fuer Kernchemie, Universitaet Mainz, D-55099 Mainz (Germany)

Resonance ionization mass spectroscopy (RIMS) is used for the precise determination of the first ionization potential ({ital IP}) of transuranium elements. Small amounts of material ({approx}0.4ng) are sufficient for these measurements due to the high sensitivity of RIMS enabling the investigation of the actinides beyond plutonium, which are accessible only in limited amounts and difficult to handle due to their high radioactivity. The method presented takes advantage of the dependence of the ionization threshold on an external static electric field. With samples of 10{sup 12} atoms of {sup 249}Bk and {sup 249}Cf experimental values for the first ionization potentials of IP{sub Bk}=49989(2)cm{sup {minus}1} and IP{sub Cf}=50665(2)cm{sup {minus}1} were obtained. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 542097
• Report Number(s): CONF-960686--
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 388; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
66 PHYSICS
BERKELIUM
CALIFORNIUM
IONIZATION POTENTIAL
RESONANCE IONIZATION MASS SPECTROSCOPY
THRESHOLD ENERGY