Experimental investigation of the

8
Li → 7Li + n
Coulomb breakup process

Excerpts from the PhD Thesis of

Rudolf Izsák

Doctorate School of Physics

head: Dr. László Palla, DSc
professor

Particle Physics and Astronomy Program

head: Dr. Ferenc Csikor, DSc
professor

supervisor: Dr. Ákos Horváth, PhD

associate professor

Department of Atomic Physics

Eötvös Loránd University

Budapest, January 2014

2

Introduction

The thesis presents and discusses the results of the experimental evaluation of
the 8 Li → 7 Li + n Coulomb breakup nuclear reaction. The experiment was car-
ried out with the Coupled Cyclotron Facility of the National Superconducting
Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL).
The investigated nuclear reaction, which has relevance in astrophysics, is
the inverse of the 7 Li + n → 8 Li neutron capture process. For some of the short-
lived nuclei involved in r-processes, it is impossible to measure their neutron
capture cross section due to the lack of a target. It is sometimes possible, how-
ever, to measure the time-reversed inverse process from which the cross sec-
tion of the direct process can be deduced by theoretical methods. The 7 Li(n, γ)8 Li
process and its time-reversed counterpart are connected by the quantum me-
chanical
2µE d ħ2 c 2 (2 j 7 Li + 1)(2 j n + 1)
σ(γ, n) = σ(n, γ), (1)
ħ2 E γ2 (2 j 8 Li + 1)2
detailed balance theorem, where E d denotes the decay energy of the (γ, n) photo-
dissociation, i.e. the neutron energy in the center of mass system and E γ =
m n ·m 7
E d +S n is the photon energy. µ = mn +m7Li denotes the reduced mass of the 7 Li+n
Li
system, and j 7 Li , j 8 Li and j n represent the spins of the reaction participants. Af-
ter the d σCb /d E γ excitation function of the 8 Li → 7 Li+n Coulomb breakup pro-
cess has been measured, the 7 Li neutron capture cross section can be inferred
according to the (1) formula.
The 7 Li neutron capture cross section has already been measured by di-
rect methods, covering the entire neutron energy range of astrophysical impor-
tance. The main purpose of the experimental evaluation was to check the pro-
cedure by which astrophysical capture cross sections are usually derived from
the measured Coulomb breakup inverse process. A matching result should val-
idate the method for future application.
The experimental setup is shown in Fig. 1 [1]. The 69.5 MeV/u 8 Li beam nu-
 3

Figure 1: The experimental setup. The 69.5 MeV/u 8 Li beam nuclei may break-up when collid-
ing into the target. The 7 Li fragments and the neutrons are separated by the sweeper magnet
and detected by two dedicated detector systems.

clei generated by the A1900 particle separator collide into a lead (or carbon) tar-
get, after passing through two CRDC (Cathode Readout Drift Chamber) detec-
tors and a focusing quadrupole triplet. The thin plastic scintillator just before
the target provides the common-stop signal for the time of flight measurement
and counts the number of incoming particles.
The target-generated fragments or other charged particles are deflected by
the sweeper magnet, and the generated neutrons fly freely towards the neutron
detector called MoNA (Modular Neutron Array). The fragments having a spe-
cific pulse–charge ratio reach the fragment detection system after the magnetic
deflection, where the detectors measure their direction and identify them.

Work objectives

The primary goal of the experimental evaluation was the determination of the
excitation function of the 8 Li → 7 Li + n breakup process, where the main task
was the complete kinematic reconstruction of the 8 Li → 7 Li + n decay events,
i.e. the determination of the momentum of the incoming 8 Li and the 7 Li and n
fragments dissociating from within the target, just before and after the nuclear
reaction.
From the measured momenta of the 8 Li, 7 Li and n particles, we have to cal-
culate the impact parameter of the projectile and the decay energy in the nu-
clear reaction. After the efficiencies for all detectors have been determined us-
4

ing a Monte Carlo simulation of the detector system and the reaction mecha-
nism, we have to estimate the efficiency and systematic error of the measure-
ment, which is a function of the decay energy. Based on the decay energy spec-
trum, we have to calculate the excitation function of the breakup reaction from
which the nuclear contribution has to be subtracted based on carbon-target
measurement data. From the resulting Coulomb breakup excitation function,
the neutron capture cross section can be deduced using the detailed balance
theorem in Eq. (1) and the results of the virtual photon theory. The resulting
neutron capture cross section has to be discussed in comparison to the avail-
able direct capture measurement data.

Methods

The recorded 40 GB binary data set was processed with programming codes
that were written in C++, Perl and SQL languages.
The momentum reconstruction for each of the incoming 8 Li, 7 Li and n par-
ticles required a precise calibration of the elements of the complex detector
system. I had to develop a procedure to determine the momenta of the 7 Li
fragments at the target based on the measured position data. This procedure
required a detailed field map of the sweeper magnet and the tracking of the par-
ticles on an event by event basis. The momentum of the 7 Li fragment was deter-
mined by the reconstruction of its track through the magnet using an adaptive
differential equation method and iteration. The field map of the sweeper mag-
net was determined with a mashing method based on measurement data. The
missing fringe field was extrapolated by Enge functions.
The acceptance, which is the most relevant factor in the efficiency of the
measurement, was calculated by using a Monte Carlo simulation of the full de-
tector system as well as the reaction mechanism.
The neutron capture cross section as a function of the neutron energy was
calculated from the measured excitation function of the Coulomb dissociation
process using the detailed balance theorem and techniques from the virtual
photon theory.
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Results

1. Determination of the excitation function of the 8 Li → 7 Li + n breakup pro-

cess at 69.5 MeV/nucleon beam energy [1,2]

• The decay energy in the 8 Li → 7 Li + n decay process (see Fig. 2) was de-
termined using a new method for the momentum reconstruction of the
charged particles based on an event by event tracking of the fragments
through the magnetic field.

• The time resolution of the complex neutron detector array consisting of

288 individual detector elements was constricted to 1.15 ns FWHM. The
improved time resolution resulted in a higher accuracy in the reconstructed
neutron momentum. The time calibration method based on a combined
analysis of muon, radioactive source and prompt gamma data.

• The impact parameter distribution of the 8 Li projectiles was determined

in the breakup events.

• The nuclear contribution to the Coulomb breakup events in the excitation

function was estimated based on carbon target data. The contribution
was between 3—5%, which corresponds to former results found in other
breakup processes.

2. Derivation of the neutron capture cross section via an inverse method in

the 30 keV—1 MeV neutron energy range [2]

• The neutron capture cross section of 7 Li was determined based on the

measured d σCb /d E γ excitation function of the Coulomb breakup process
(see Fig. 3).

• It was the first time that the inverse reaction method was applied to the
determination of the neutron capture cross sections of s-wave neutrons. I
compared my results to those from direct measurements.
6

200
ólom
180 szén ×10

160
dσ/dEd [mbarn/MeV]

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Ed [MeV]

Figure 2: Current results of the d σCb /d E d excitation function for 69.5 MeV/nucleon 8 Li projec-
tiles on lead and carbon targets. For the sake of visibility, carbon target data are multiplied by
a factor of ten.

• When comparing the results to those from direct measurements it was

found that the inverse method of Coulomb dissociation can be success-
fully applied to the determination of neutron capture cross sections of
short-lived nuclei involved in the r-process.

3. Determination of the energy dependence of the neutron capture cross sec-

tion [2]

• Based on my experimental results it was found that the neutron capture

cross section deviates from the 1/v law at neutron energies higher than
300 keV, which corresponds to predictions of theoretical models.

• The extent of deviation from the 1/v law was determined and parametrized
up to the highest neutron energies.

• The s 0 = (6.2 ± 0.3) · 10−3 b(eV)1/2 coefficient of the low energetic neutron
capture cross section, which follows the 1/v law, was calculated. This
value matches exactly with that obtained from the corresponding direct
capture measurement.
 7

Figure 3: Current results of the σE1 (n, γ) neutron capture cross section as a function of the
neutron energy in the center of mass system (solid circles). The cross section is compared to
former results from direct neutron capture measurements: Imhof et al. (open circles), Nagai et
al. (solid triangle and open squares) and Heil et al. (solid squares). The solid line is an 1/v fit to
the low energy neutron capture data of Blackmon et al. [2].

Conclusions

According to Fig. 3, our results correlate well with those published earlier: above
the 254 keV neutron energy, there is only 10% difference between the neutron
capture cross section by Imhof et al. (open circles) and that of mine. The main
result of the experimental evaluation was the determination of the s 0 coeffi-
cient in the neutron capture cross section of the 7 Li nucleus, which can be
parametrized in the σE1 (n, γ)(E n ) = s 0 (1 + s 1 E n + s 2 E n 2 )/E n1/2 form. The received
value in the lab system was s 0 = (6.2 ± 0.3) · 10−3 b(eV)1/2 which replicates the
coefficient (6.3 ± 0.3) · 10−3 b(eV)1/2 of the most recent experimental value of
Blackmon et al. [2] Our results show that, corresponding to the former theo-
retical predictions, the neutron capture cross section deviates from the 1/v-
shaped energy dependence of the capture cross section for s-wave neutrons
above 200 keV [2].
8

References

[1] Á. H ORVÁTH , K. I EKI , Á. K ISS , A. G ALONSKY, M. T HOENNESSEN , T. B AU -

MANN , D. B AZIN , C.A. B ERTULANI , C. B ORDEANU , N. C ARLIN , M. C SANÁD, F.
D EÁK , P. D E Y OUNG , N. F RANK , T. F UKUCHI , Z S . F ÜLÖP, A. G ADE , D. G ALAVIZ ,
C. H OFFMAN , R. I ZSÁK , W.A. P ETERS , H. S CHELIN , A. S CHILLER , R. S UGO, Z.
S ERES , AND G.I. V ERES: Can the neutron-capture cross sections be measured
with Coulomb dissociation?, Eur. Phys. J. A, 27, (2006), 217-220.

[2] R. I ZSÁK , Á. H ORVÁTH , Á. K ISS , Z. S ERES , A. G ALONSKY, C.A. B ERTULANI ,

Z S . F ÜLÖP, T. B AUMANN , D. B AZIN , K. I EKI , C. B ORDEANU , N. C ARLIN , M.
C SANÁD, F. D EÁK , P. D E Y OUNG , N. F RANK , T. F UKUCHI , A. G ADE , D. G ALAVIZ ,
C. H OFFMAN , W.A. P ETERS , H. S CHELIN , M. T HOENNESSEN , AND G.I. V ERES:
Determining the 7 Li(n,γ) cross section via Coulomb dissociation of 8 Li, Phys.
Rev. C, 88, (2013), 065808.

Other publications

• G. S ZABÓ, A. S ZOLNOKI , R. I ZSÁK: Rock-scissors-paper game on regular

small-world networks, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen., 37, (2004), 2599-2609.

• R. I ZSÁK: Maximum likelihood fitting of the Poisson lognormal distribu-

tion, Environ. Ecol. Stat., 15, (2008), 143-156.

Conference talks

• I ZSÁK R.: The Coulomb breakup of the 8Li nucleus (in Hungarian), XIII.
Magfizikus Találkozó, Jávorkút, Hungary, 2006. május 5-7.

• R. I ZSÁK: How can MoNA identify the neutrons?, Sixth Summer School
on Exotic Beam Physics, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory,
USA, 6–11th August, 2007.

• R. I ZSÁK , Á. H ORVÁTH , Á. K ISS , Z. S ERES , A. G ALONSKY et al.: Experimen-

tal check of Coulomb dissociation method for neutron capture measure-
ments, Open questions and future directions in heavy element nucleosyn-
thesis, Atomki Debrecen, Hungary, 2013. április 11.

• R. I ZSÁK , Á. H ORVÁTH , Á. K ISS et al.: Experimental comparison of 7Li neu-

tron capture to 8Li Coulomb breakup at 70 MeV/nucleon, Zimányi School
2013, Wigner RMI - ELTE TTK, Budapest, Hungary, 2013. december 5.