The Electron Spectra of Cesium-134 and Barium-131." (1957)
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1957 The lecE tron Spectra of Cesium-134 and Barium-131. Leon Stanley August Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation August, Leon Stanley, "The Electron Spectra of Cesium-134 and Barium-131." (1957). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 189. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/189 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I T T ' 134 131 - * i . - o i . ' OP J3 AIID Ba A Dissertation submitted to the graduate Pacully of the Louisiana Dtate University and -w;ricultural and mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirement a for the decree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Physics by Leon Dtenley August . Louisiana vteto University, 1950 Tulono University, 195D June, 1957 The author wishes to expreo3 hi a si ace re r.pprooi >> tion to i rofos.-or 'OOurioh f :ir his constant interest ’~ncl help i 11 thi., work, rad to 1 rc To l : o i ior:' C • *.;ulph for his nssivt- ?.uco i’i 0 osia'ii.to the maauet. rivJiu. oi jo -5T i' o rage AOXnO t i L I n T o*' T ^ c x c c ...................................................................................................................................................... V LToI 01 lIOUnEJ........................................................................................................................ vl ’ ’ V i l i C. I. J'liv 1 I X JiikUJ I. J l'I Oii........................ 1 ^ -r h .• ' ■ ’i * II. TEE IlL TLU.-EOT -4 .1 l A / U. -i. • J. 'J j | t • t « < • • I • t ■ * * • * O 1. h is to r y ami 'Jhoiue o i In stru m en................................. t 5 s. The Components of the Instrument.................................... 10 h , One La-met mid Vacuum Chamber ......................... 10 b• The Electronic lower supply lor the La.- n e t .......................................................................................... 16 c. source Preparation.................................................. 19 d. Detactor........................................................................................... 0:4 e. Lagnetic nipidity Leasuremerts ....................... £8 0. The col3V Test spectrum............................................................ 00 III. X iiill -tJjLa± iUx'ti** I j.t.-T 1 k j -< Oil joj-i /-j-u.I jii . j Onli H n . t T 09 1. Importanoe of Conversion Coei1ieionts jnid L/X -'laties..................................................................................................... 09 0. Let hod of beterrr;ininf- Conversion Coefficients.......................................................................................... 41 / . Vest o f Let ho 6 for Ooiormi ni np Conversion Coefficients............................................................................................... 45 IV, THE Cs134 BETA-OPLCill...................................................................................... 58 1. Previous -iork............................................................................................ 58 £. Present -.ork............................................................................................... 59 i i i Pn^o V. THE COHVEHEIQII ELEGT^OH Sl’GGTHUi: OF Cs131...................... 63 1. Introduction............................................................................ 63 Lt Previous tJork.................................. 64 P re sent rtork......................................................................................... 70 J CIHJ0TEI) BIBLIOJH.J.-HY...................................................................................................... 87 VITA........................................................................................................................................................ 83 i v LI LIT 03 .’A ! i l l T ab le P age I . Jumrnary o l D ata f o r D e te r m in in g a lc 's • 56 II . ^-Oouvorsi.)ii Jo of f 1 cl eat a of Ba^"*^............................................. 56 1 '7j4 Ill . maximum ^nerrfies o f Js i3eta--ipeot ra . » * 50 IV A. Reported Unergries of Transitions in Cs1^ - Iviagrnotio Spectrometers..................................................................... 65 IV B. Reported Energies of Transitions in Scintillation opectrometers................................................................... 66 V. Reported lonversion Coofiioionts and A/L Ratios for Cs*31 ............................................................................................................................ 67 VI . uummar^ of Cs^*^ Bata...................................................................................... 84 v LIST OF FIGUHE3 Figure Page 1. Grose Section of Magnet and Vacuum Chamber..................... 11 2. iiadial Field Plot in Median Plane ................................................ 13 3. Top View of Vacuum Chamber..................................................................... 14 4. Regulated Current Supply........................................................................... 17 5. Top View of Source.............................................................................................. 21 0. Cross Section of Detector......................................................................... 25 7. Momentum Calibration Curve for Spectrometer.................. 31 137 6. Cs Electron Spectrum............................................................................... 32 CJ. Decay scheme for Cb^37................................................................................. 34 10. Fermi Plot for Cs^37........................................................................................ 36 134 11. 1 artial Cs Electron Speotrum......................................................... 48 12 . Part.U -1 Gamma-E«y npectrum fl/B" oouroo ). • 50 13. Partial Ba^37 Gamma-Say apectrum fl/l6" Source)... 51 14. Partial Ba Gamma-Eay spectrum fl/4" oouroe ) .... 52 15. K-Convorsion Peak of Ba^7 fl/4" Souroe........................... ) 53 16. k-Oonversion Peak of Ba^37 fl/lo" Souroe)................ 54 17. Fermi Plot lor Csx"4....................................................................................... 61 18. Cs'1'31 Conversion Electron Spectrum (Source I) 72 v i ■Figure Page 19. Partial O b 1 3 1 Conversion Kleatron Spectrum (Source I)... 76 20. Partial Ob131 Co nve rsion .Clect ron Spectrum (souroeV) . 77 ■ „131 21. Part ial m 8 Coaversion Electron C p e o t r u m f Sou roe h i ). 79 * ' 08131 £* ^ « Partial Conversion PJleat ron Spectrum (source III ) . 80 * * 131 2 3 . P a rt i a 1 ’■j B Co nverslon Electron Bp eat rum (SouroeIV). 81 24. K and L + U Conversion Peaks of Ba^*^ (Souroe IV).. 3 2 vi i ABBTHAOT -v double-foousi ng t iron oo re magnetic spectrometer employing a scintillation neteotor was constructed, tested, 1 rxA I'3)! and used to study the electron speotra of Gs and Ba • The performance of the spectrometer was shown to be satisfactory by studies that were made on the Gs^-'^ electron spectrum. This spectrum has seen thoroughly investigated by a number of other workers. The spectrum obtained for the priucioal beta component of showed * unique first- forbidden shape and had a maximum energy of 511 ±20 kev. The K/(L + Ll) ratio of the 661 kev transition in BqI37 was found to be 4.5 ±0,5. These results are in good agreement with the generally accepted data on this radioisotope. The method employed in determining conversion coeffi cients involved using the 661 kev, I >14 transition in as a standard of comparison. The theoretical volue of the h- conversion coefficient for this transition was used In deter mining other conversion coefficients. Other workers have shown that the theoretical and experimental v- lues for this ^-conversion coefficient agree to within the experimental error. The required gamma-ray intensities were determined with a scintillation spectrometer. The method was shown to be satisfactory by determining the 5-conversion coefficients of the 605 kev and 797 kev transitions in v 1 i i A—conversion onelliaient for the 605 kev transition was found to he (5.Q± 0.6) x 10”^ while that of the 797 kev *" 3 transition wuu (£.8±0.3) x 10 . Those values are In reasonable agreement with those of other investigators who used different methods that seem reliable. In the course of working with a beta-speut rum wae observed which had not been previously reported, A i’ermi plot of the data gives a maximum energy of 0.95 ± o. 15 kev for this spectrum. 131 The work on Ba was performed using a specially prepared source of relatively high specific activity. The conversion electron spectrum confirmed the existence of a 133 kev transition in This transition had been reported in only one previous investigation. All of the principal transitions in 0s were observed as well as the three highest energy ones whose energies are 630, 915 and lo4G kev. Previously these highest energy transit.ions had only been observed with a scintillation spectrometer. There was _Iso evidence of other weaker transitions whose energies were found to be 94, 158 and 4 05 kev. The two lowest energy transitions reported by several investigators could