Investigation of the Li⁶(p,n)Be⁶ Reaction by the Neutron Threshold Technique

Citation

Honsaker, John Leonard (1965) Investigation of the Li⁶(p,n)Be⁶ Reaction by the Neutron Threshold Technique. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/Y05B-ZT77. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-01152003-101941

Abstract

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document. This thesis describes the measurement of the reaction Li[superscript 6](p,n)Be[superscript 6] by slow-neutron methods, with particular attention to the Be[superscript 6] ground-state threshold. The detector response was calculated by a Monte Carlo technique and verified with a measurement of the Li[superscript 7]([alpha],n)B[superscript 10] threshold. An analysis of the shape of the Be[superscript 6] threshold indicated that both s- and pwave neutrons contribute significantly to the reaction. The results depend on what mode of decay is assumed for the ground state of Be[superscript 6]. If a two-stage process is assumed, with either an alpha particle and an unbound diproton or Li[superscript 5] and a proton as intermediate state, the width is found to be 95 [...] 28 keV and the Q-value obtained for the Li[superscript 6](p,n)Be[superscript 6] reaction is -5074 [...] 13 keV. It was not possible to determine which process is predominant. No further states in Be[superscript 6] with excitation energy less than 4 MeV and width less than 1.5 MeV could be detected. Evidence suggesting other neutron-producing reactions from the proton bombardment of Li[superscript 6] at higher energies is discussed.

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