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Title: β -Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions

Abstract

Here, a novel technique for β-delayed neutron spectroscopy has been demonstrated using trapped ions. The neutron-energy spectrum is reconstructed by measuring the time of flight of the nuclear recoil following neutron emission, thereby avoiding all the challenges associated with neutron detection, such as backgrounds from scattered neutrons and γ rays and complicated detector-response functions. 137I+ ions delivered from a 252Cf source were confined in a linear Paul trap surrounded by radiation detectors, and the β-delayed neutron-energy spectrum and branching ratio were determined by detecting the β- and recoil ions in coincidence. Systematic effects were explored by determining the branching ratio three ways. Improvements to achieve higher detection efficiency, better energy resolution, and a lower neutron-energy threshold are proposed.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [3];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [4];  [8];  [3];  [9];  [10];  [2];  [5];  [11];  [7];  [5];  [5] more »;  [3] « less
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Physical and Life Sciences Directorate; Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Physical and Life Sciences Directorate
  3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division
  4. McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada). Dept of Physics
  5. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics
  6. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Joint Inst. for Nuclear Astrophysics
  7. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  8. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  9. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Physics Division; McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada). Dept of Physics
  10. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
  11. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC); USDHS; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1454836
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1102357
Grant/Contract Number:  
NA0000979; AC02-06CH11357; AC52-07NA27344; FG02-98ER41086; 216974; DGE-0638477
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 110; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Citation Formats

Yee, R. M., Scielzo, N. D., Bertone, P. F., Buchinger, F., Caldwell, S., Clark, J. A., Deibel, C. M., Fallis, J., Greene, J. P., Gulick, S., Lascar, D., Levand, A. F., Li, G., Norman, E. B., Pedretti, M., Savard, G., Segel, R. E., Sharma, K. S., Sternberg, M. G., Van Schelt, J., and Zabransky, B. J. β-Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.092501.
Yee, R. M., Scielzo, N. D., Bertone, P. F., Buchinger, F., Caldwell, S., Clark, J. A., Deibel, C. M., Fallis, J., Greene, J. P., Gulick, S., Lascar, D., Levand, A. F., Li, G., Norman, E. B., Pedretti, M., Savard, G., Segel, R. E., Sharma, K. S., Sternberg, M. G., Van Schelt, J., & Zabransky, B. J. β-Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.092501
Yee, R. M., Scielzo, N. D., Bertone, P. F., Buchinger, F., Caldwell, S., Clark, J. A., Deibel, C. M., Fallis, J., Greene, J. P., Gulick, S., Lascar, D., Levand, A. F., Li, G., Norman, E. B., Pedretti, M., Savard, G., Segel, R. E., Sharma, K. S., Sternberg, M. G., Van Schelt, J., and Zabransky, B. J. Tue . "β-Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.092501. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1454836.
@article{osti_1454836,
title = {β-Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions},
author = {Yee, R. M. and Scielzo, N. D. and Bertone, P. F. and Buchinger, F. and Caldwell, S. and Clark, J. A. and Deibel, C. M. and Fallis, J. and Greene, J. P. and Gulick, S. and Lascar, D. and Levand, A. F. and Li, G. and Norman, E. B. and Pedretti, M. and Savard, G. and Segel, R. E. and Sharma, K. S. and Sternberg, M. G. and Van Schelt, J. and Zabransky, B. J.},
abstractNote = {Here, a novel technique for β-delayed neutron spectroscopy has been demonstrated using trapped ions. The neutron-energy spectrum is reconstructed by measuring the time of flight of the nuclear recoil following neutron emission, thereby avoiding all the challenges associated with neutron detection, such as backgrounds from scattered neutrons and γ rays and complicated detector-response functions. 137I+ ions delivered from a 252Cf source were confined in a linear Paul trap surrounded by radiation detectors, and the β-delayed neutron-energy spectrum and branching ratio were determined by detecting the β- and recoil ions in coincidence. Systematic effects were explored by determining the branching ratio three ways. Improvements to achieve higher detection efficiency, better energy resolution, and a lower neutron-energy threshold are proposed.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.092501},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 9,
volume = 110,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}

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