SPECIFIC FEATURES OF APPLICATION OF CADMIUM AS A NEUTRON-ABSORBING SCREEN WHILE DOPING SILICON IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR

The gradient of the neutron field in a nuclear reactor and the requirements for the permissible spread of the specific electrical resistance over the volume of the silicon ingot makes it necessary to develop an irradiation device. This is especially true for large silicon ingots. One of the options for reducing the gradient of the neutron flux along the height of the ingot is the use of neutron-absorbing screens in the design of the irradiation device. At the WWR-K reactor, cadmium with a natural isotopic composition is used as a neutron-absorbing screen material. The paper presents the results of a study of an irradiation device with a cadmium screen. The effect of a cadmium screen on the neutron-physical characteristics of an irradiation device for silicon doping is shown.

ESTIMATION OF GROSS-STRUCTURE PARAMETERS OF GIANT DIPOLE RESONANCE: 2. EXPERIMENTAL TESTING

Experimental testing of a novel technique for determination of width and maximum of excitation function of a photonuclear reaction with dominant giant dipole resonance is conducted. The method is based on measurement of normalized reaction yield in a thin target, overlapping entirely a flux of X-rays and on processing of data obtained with the use of a developed analytical model. For the checking of method, the nickel and molybdenum foils of natural isotopic composition were activated by bremsstrahlung radiation at four energies of the electron beam in the range 40…95 MeV. The obtained parameters of cross-section of the reference reactions 58Ni(γ,n)57Ni and 100Mo(γ,n)99Mo are in good agreement with those presented in the available databases.

Spontaneous double alpha decay: First experimental limit and prospects of investigation

Nuclear decays with simultaneous emission of two alpha particles are energetically possible for a number of nuclides. Prospects of searching for such kind of decay for nuclides present in the natural isotopic composition of elements are discussed here. The first experimental limit on half-life for 2α decay is set for 209Bi as T1/2 > 2.9·1020 y at 90 % C.L., using the data of work [P. de Marcillac et al. Nature 422 (2003) 876]. Theoretical T1/2 estimations for the process are also given. Using these values, which are on the level of 1033 y or more, one can conclude that the prospects of experimental observation of 2α decay are very pessimistic.

Rotational spectrum of isotopic methyl mercaptan, 13CH3SH, in the laboratory and towards Sagittarius B2(N2)

Methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) is a known interstellar molecule with abundances high enough that the detection of some of its minor isotopologues is promising. The present study aims to provide accurate spectroscopic parameters for the 13CH3SH isotopologue to facilitate its identification in the interstellar medium at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths. Through careful analysis of recent CH3SH spectra from 49–510 GHz and 1.1–1.5 THz recorded at natural isotopic composition, extensive assignments were possible not only for the ground torsional state of 13CH3SH, but also in the first and second excited states. The torsion–rotation spectrum displays complex structure due to the large-amplitude internal rotation of the 13CH3 group, similar to the main and other minor isotopic species of methyl mercaptan. The assigned transition frequencies have been fitted to within experimental error with a 52-parameter model employing the RAM36 programme. With predictions based on this fit, 13CH3SH was searched for in spectra from the Atacama Large Millimetre/sub-millimetre Array (ALMA) towards the Galactic centre source Sgr B2(N2). Several transitions were expected to be observable, but all of them turned out to be severely blended with emission from other species, which prevents us from identifying 13CH3SH in this source.

Laboratory spectroscopic study of the 15N isotopomers of cyanamide, H2NCN, and a search for them toward IRAS 16293−2422 B

Context. Cyanamide is one of the few interstellar molecules containing two chemically different N atoms. It was detected recently toward the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293−2422 B together with H2N13CN and HDNCN in the course of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS). The detection of the 15N isotopomers or the determination of upper limits to their column densities was hampered by the lack of accurate laboratory data at the frequencies of the survey. Aims. We wanted to determine spectroscopic parameters of the 15N isotopomers of cyanamide that are accurate enough for predictions well into the submillimeter region and to search for them in the PILS data. Methods. We investigated the laboratory rotational spectra of H215NCN and H2NC15N in the selected region between 192 and 507 GHz employing a cyanamide sample in natural isotopic composition. Additionally, we recorded transitions of H2N13CN. Results. We obtained new or improved spectroscopic parameters for the three isotopic species. Neither of the 15N isotopomers of cyanamide were detected unambiguously in the PILS data. Two relatively clean lines can be tentatively assigned to H215NCN. If confirmed, their column densities would imply a low 14N/15N ratio for cyanamide toward this source. Conclusions. The resulting line lists should be accurate enough for observations up to about 1 THz. More sensitive observations, potentially at different frequencies, may eventually lead to the astronomical detection of these isotopic species.

Изменение свойств алмаза из -=SUP=-13-=/SUP=-C при изотермическом сжатии

The parameters of atomic interaction pair potential for ^13C diamond have been determined from experimental data on the ratio of Raman frequencies for isotopically different diamonds. Based on these parameters, an equation of state and baric dependences of ^13C diamond lattice properties at 300 K have been calculated. Specifically, the Debye temperature; the first, second, and third Grüneisen parameters; elastic modulus; thermal expansion coefficient; heat capacity; surface energy; and pressure derivatives of these parameters along a 300 K isotherm have been determined. The results have been compared with available data for diamond having a natural isotopic composition, i.e., for ^12.01C.

Laboratory spectroscopic study of isotopic thioformaldehyde, H2CS, and determination of its equilibrium structure

Context. Thioformaldehyde is an abundant molecule in various regions of the interstellar medium. However, available laboratory data limit the accuracies of calculated transition frequencies in the submillimeter region, in particular for minor isotopic species. Aims. We aim to determine spectroscopic parameters of isotopologs of H2CS that are accurate enough for predictions well into the submillimeter region. Methods. We investigated the laboratory rotational spectra of numerous isotopic species in natural isotopic composition almost continuously between 110 and 377 GHz. Individual lines were studied for most species in two frequency regions between 566 and 930 GHz. Further data were obtained for the three most abundant species in the 1290−1390 GHz region. Results. New or improved spectroscopic parameters were determined for seven isotopic species. Quantum-chemical calculations were carried out to evaluate the differences between ground state and equilibrium rotational parameters to derive semi-empirical equilibrium structural parameters. Conclusions. The spectroscopic parameters are accurate enough for predictions well above 1 THz with the exception of H213C34S where the predictions should be reliable to around 700 GHz.

Separation of radioisotopes of terbium from a europium target irradiated by 27 MeV α-particles

A method for obtaining156, 155, 154m2, 154, 153Tb radiotracers by the irradiation of a europium oxide target of natural isotopic composition by 27 MeV α-particles is proposed. Terbium can be efficiently separated from bulk of europium by the reduction of the latter by zinc in an acidic solution and precipitation as EuSO4. The optimum Zn/Eu3+and (NH4)2SO4/Eu3+molar ratios are 20 and 3, respectively. Terbium is additionally purified from europium and gadolinium by extraction chromatography using LN Resin. It is demonstrated that optimum separation is attained in 0.6 M HNO3. The Tb/Eu separation coefficient was ~5·105. The yield of terbium was about 90%. Time of all steps was 1.5–2 h. The proposed procedure makes it possible to obtain no carrier added terbium radiotracers.