G. P. Tyurin

Breakthrough in pulse-shape based particle identification with silicon detectors

Identification of charged particles is an important method in nuclear spectroscopy. We have achieved a major breakthrough that makes the pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) method with a single solid-state detector comparable to and sometimes better than the traditional telescope technique. By using rear-side injection in over-biased surface barrier n-type Si detectors made from homogeneously doped n-TD silicon, and extracting the pulse-shape information already at the preamplifier level we have reached improved Z and even A discrimination over a wide dynamic range. Previously good separation with the PSD technique required a major degradation of time resolution and inferior energy resolution. Currently we have pushed down the dynamical time range to below 35 ns and reached time resolution of about 200 ps fwhm while maintaining good energy resolution characteristic of silicon detectors. The lowest energy threshold for Z separation of intermediate mass fragments (IMF) achieved with a 250 /spl mu/m thick detector is equivalent to a range of about 20 /spl mu/m in silicon. For IMFs with ranges higher than 80 /spl mu/m of silicon we got full isotope separation. Details of this study are presented, and the application of our method in recent nuclear physics experiments is briefly discussed.

Linear Energy Transfer of Heavy Ions in Silicon

Researchers performing radiation testing on electronic components often rely on semi-empirical prediction codes for determining the linear energy transfer (LET) (or electronic stopping force) of ions, without paying much attention to their reliability. However, it is seen that estimations calculated with different codes can have over 10% discrepancies, especially in the case of heavy ions with higher LET (e.g., xenon). As a consequence of the modern component fabrication techniques this has become an important issue when studying the radiation durability of electronics. In order to clarify this inconsistency, LET measurements for 131Xe and 82Kr in silicon have been undertaken and obtained results are presented, discussed and compared with earlier predicted data.

Experimental Linear Energy Transfer of Heavy Ions in Silicon for RADEF Cocktail Species

Experimental linear energy transfer values of heavy ions in silicon are presented with comparison to estimations from different semi empirical codes widely used among the community. This paper completes the experimental LET data for the RADEF cocktail ions in silicon.

α + 12C scattering at 110 MeV: Has exotic 7.65 MeV Hoyle’s state signatures “alpha-condensate” structure?

We present new measurements of the α + 12C elastic and inelastic (to the states 4.44, 7.65, and 9.64 MeV) scattering at Elab = 110 MeV in the wide angular range from ∼10° to 175°, which enable us to examine the condensate and cluster properties of the low-lying excited states in 12C. We present the diffraction-radius analysis of our data together with a considerable amount of the existing data. The magnitudes of the diffraction radii for the ground and the first excited (4.44 MeV) states are found to be equal, whereas they appear to be enhanced by ∼0.6 fm both for 7.65 and 9.64 MeV states. This result shows that the radius of the Hoyle’s 02+, 7.65 MeV state in 12C is by a factor of ∼1.2–1.3 larger than that of the ground state. It is demonstrated that the direct transfer mechanism of 8Be dominates at the largest angles in all four reactions reported here. The configuration corresponding to the transfer of 8Be in its ground state (Iπ = 0+) with L = 0 turns out to be the most important for the 7.65 MeV state of 12C. Evidence of existence of some features of α-condensed structure of the Hoyle’s 02+ state in 12C was obtained: its enhanced radius and large contribution of α-particle configuration with L = 0.

Study of rlastic and inelastic 11B +α scattering and search for cluster states of enlarged radius in 11B

The differential cross sections for elastic and inelastic 11B + α scattering were measured at the alpha-particle energy of 65 MeV, the inelastic-scattering processes leading to the excitation of known states of 11B up to excitation energies of about 14 MeV. Data on elastic scattering were analyzed together with those that were published earlier for lower energies. The cross sections for inelastic scattering were analyzed on the basis of the distorted-wave method. A modified diffractionmodel was used to determine the root-mean-square radii of excited states. The radii of states whose excitation energies were below about 7MeV were found to agree with radius of the ground state to within 0.1 to 0.15 fm. This result complieswith the traditional idea that the low-lying states of 11B have a shell structure. The possibility that these states belong to the predicted rotational bands, which, if any, are truncated to three states, cannot be ruled out either. The majority of the observed highly excited states are distributed among four rotational bands. The moments of inertia of these bands are close; for the band based on the 3/2− state at E* = 8.56 MeV, they are even higher than those of the Hoyle state in the 12C nucleus. The measured radii of states associated with these bands of 11B are larger than the ground-state radius by 0.7 to 1.0 fm and are also close to the radius of the Hoyle state. The results of the present study agree with the existing predictions that the cluster structure of the 11B nucleus is diverse at high excitation energies. The hypothesis that the 11B nucleus features a “giant” state of size commensurate with those in heavy nuclei was not confirmed.

Cluster states in the neutron excess nucleus 22Ne

High-spin states of the 22Ne nucleus in the excitation energy range of 15–30 MeV have been studied. The angular correlation method has been used to determine the spins of excited states. A number of new states with high angular momenta—20.0 MeV (9−), 20.7 MeV (11−), 21.6 MeV (9−), 22.2 MeV (12+), and 25.0 MeV (9−)—have been revealed. They are intensely populated in the reaction 14C(12C, α1)22Ne* → α2 + 18O and correspond to the rotational bands of various structures.

First observation of nuclear rainbow scattering in 16O + 40Ca system

Measurements of the differential cross section of the 16O + 40Ca elastic scattering at the 16O energy 214 MeV were performed. For the first time, nuclear rainbow scattering in the 16O + 40Ca system was observed. The analysis shows that the 45° minimum in the angular distribution could be identified as an Airy supernumerary one, probably, of the third order. It corresponds to a distance of closest approach of the colliding nuclei less than 3 fm.

Application of Pulse‐Shape Discrimination Method for Wide Aperture Si‐Detectors

A method for the identification of charged particles by wide aperture Si ‐detectors has been investigated based on the employment of pulse ‐shape discrimination in a silicon p ‐i‐n detector.

Light particle accompanied quasifission in superheavy composite systems

The dynamics of the excited superheavy system with Z = 118 in the reaction 86Kr + 208Pb at EKr = 460, 500, and 600 MeV has been investigated. The mass and kinetic energy of binary fragments were measured by the time-of-flight method. Double-differential distributions of protons and α particles were measured in coincidence with fragments. The proton spectra can be described considering only evaporation from fragments. Evidence of the neck fragmentation was obtained from analysis of double-differential α spectra. Properties of the α-particle neck fragmentation component are close to those known from the ternary fission of actinide nuclei, but the multiplicity is much larger than can be expected from extrapolation of the ternary fission data.

Neutron halos in excited states of 12 B

An experiment was done to search for states with a neutron halo in 12B. The measurements were carried out at the cyclotron of the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland) using Large Scattering Chamber (LSC). The idea of the work was to search for two states with the expected neutron halo, 1 and 2 . Differential cross sections with excitation of 12B states, including abovementioned states, were observed. The preliminary calculations on halo radii by the method of asymptotic normalization coefficients for the 2 and 1 states which are in a discrete spectrum gave following values: 5.6 fm and 7.4 fm, which is much larger than the radius of the valence neutron in the ground state. But strictly the presence of a neutron halo can be confirmed only for 1 state. The 2 state can be considered only as candidate for halo. An unexpected result was obtained for the 3 , 3.39 MeV state, which is in continuum 19 keV above the decay threshold 12B → 11B + n, preliminary estimation for its halo radius is ∼ 6.5 fm. This indicates that the halo can be present in this state as well. But strict conditions for neutron halo are not fulfilled in the same way as for 2 state. Until now, the neutron halo in unbound states has been observed only for the members of the rotational bands.