arXiv subjects

L. Weissman

Publications and source records attributed to L. Weissman.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Development of a Multi-Purpose Optical TPC for Neutron-Induced Reaction Studies at SARAF

Neutron-induced reactions play a central role in stellar and Big Bang nucleosynthesis models. Yet many of the cross sections remain poorly constrained at astrophysically relevant energies. To address these needs, we are developing a multi-purpose Optical Time Projection Chamber (OTPC) optimized for precision neutron-reaction studies at the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF) upcoming high-intensity, time-of-flight neutron beam. The detector combines a drift chamber filled with CF4-based scintillating gas mixtures, fast photodetectors for prompt scintillation detection, and high-speed optical readout of avalanche-induced secondary scintillation to enable full 3D reconstruction of charged-particle tracks. A prototype system has been assembled and tested. This has enabled systematic characterization of electron drift velocity, charge and light amplification, and 2D optical imaging of alpha-particle tracks in an Ar/CF4 gas mixture. These studies guide the design of a larger, fully integrated OTPC system intended for operation at SARAF. In parallel, we are exploring advanced image sensors to further enhance tracking resolution. We report on recent progress with the prototype and outline the next steps toward commissioning the full system.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Stellar s-process neutron capture cross sections on A-Se and A-Ce

We report on experiments at the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility - Liquid-Lithium Target (SARAF-LiLiT) laboratory dedicated to the study of s-process neutron capture reactions. The kW-power proton beam at 1.92 MeV (1-2 mA) from SARAF Phase I yields high-intensity 30 keV quasi-Maxwellian neutrons (3-5x10^10 n/s). The high neutron intensity enables Maxwellian averaged cross sections (MACS) measurements of samples with short-lived decay products. Neutron capture reactions on nat-Se and nat-Ce were investigated by activation in the LiLiT neutron beam and {\gamma}-spectrometry measurements of their decay products.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

Stellar s-process neutron capture cross section of Ce isotopes

Stellar abundances of cerium are of high current interest based both on observations and theoretical models, especially with regard to the neutron--magic $^{140}$Ce isotope. A large discrepancy of $s-$process stellar models relative to cerium abundance observed in globular clusters was highlighted, pointing to possible uncertainties in experimental nuclear reaction rates. In this work, the stellar neutron capture cross section of the stable cerium isotopes $^{136}$Ce, $^{138}$Ce, $^{140}$Ce, and $^{142}$Ce, were re-measured. A $^{nat}$Ce sample was irradiated with quasi-Maxwellian neutrons at $kT = 34.2$ keV using the $^{7}$Li($p,n$) reaction. The neutron field with an intensity of $3-5 \times 10^{10}$ n/s was produced by irradiating the liquid-lithium target (LiLiT) with a mA proton beam at an energy (1.92 MeV) just above the threshold at Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF). The activities of the $^{nat}$Ce neutron capture products were measured using a shielded High Purity Germanium detector. Cross sections were extracted relative to that of the $^{197}$Au(n,$\gamma$) reaction and the Maxwellian-averaged cross section (MACS) of the Ce isotopes were derived. The MACS values extracted from this experiment are generally consistent with previous measurements and show for $^{140}$Ce a value $\approx 15$\% smaller than most recent experimental values.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2022

Stellar $s$-process neutron capture cross sections of $^{69,71}$Ga

The stable gallium isotopes, $^{69,71}$Ga, are mostly produced by the weak slow ($s$) process in massive stars. We report here on measurements of astrophysically-relevant neutron capture cross sections of the $^{69,71}$Ga$(n,\gamma)$ reactions. The experiments were performed by the activation technique using a high-intensity ($3-5\times10^{10}$ n/s), quasi-Maxwellian neutron beam that closely mimics conditions of stellar $s$-process nucleosynthesis at $kT \approx$ 40 keV. The neutron field was produced by a mA proton beam at $E_p=1925$ keV (beam power of 2-3 kW) from the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF), bombarding the Liquid-Lithium Target (LiLiT). A 473 mg sample of Ga$_2$O$_3$ of natural isotopic composition was activated in the LiLiT neutron field and the activities of $^{70,72}$Ga were measured by decay counting via $\gamma$-spectrometry with a high-purity germanium detector. The Maxwellian-averaged cross sections at $kT$ = 30 keV of $^{69}$Ga and $^{71}$Ga determined in this work are 136(8) mb and 105(7) mb, respectively, in good agreement with previous experimental values. Astrophysical implications of the measurements are discussed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2018

Stellar $^{36,38}$Ar$(n,γ)^{37,39}$Ar reactions and their effect on light neutron-rich nuclide synthesis

The $^{36}$Ar$(n,γ)^{37}$Ar ($t_{1/2}$ = 35 d) and $^{38}$Ar$(n,γ)^{39}$Ar (269 y) reactions were studied for the first time with a quasi-Maxwellian ($kT \sim 47$ keV) neutron flux for Maxwellian Average Cross Section (MACS) measurements at stellar energies. Gas samples were irradiated at the high-intensity Soreq applied research accelerator facility-liquid-lithium target neutron source and the $^{37}$Ar/$^{36}$Ar and $^{39}$Ar/$^{38}$Ar ratios in the activated samples were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry at the ATLAS facility (Argonne National Laboratory). The $^{37}$Ar activity was also measured by low-level counting at the University of Bern. Experimental MACS of $^{36}$Ar and $^{38}$Ar, corrected to the standard 30 keV thermal energy, are 1.9(3) mb and 1.3(2) mb, respectively, differing from the theoretical and evaluated values published to date by up to an order of magnitude. The neutron capture cross sections of $^{36,38}$Ar are relevant to the stellar nucleosynthesis of light neutron-rich nuclides; the two experimental values are shown to affect the calculated mass fraction of nuclides in the region A=36-48 during the weak $s$-process. The new production cross sections have implications also for the use of $^{37}$Ar and $^{39}$Ar as environmental tracers in the atmosphere and hydrosphere.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2015

Stellar 30-keV neutron capture in 94,96Zr and the 90Zr(gamma,n)89Zr photonuclear reaction with a high-power liquid-lithium target

A high-power Liquid-Lithium Target (LiLiT) was used for the first time for neutron production via the thick-target 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction and quantitative determination of neutron capture cross sections. Bombarded with a 1-2 mA proton beam at 1.92 MeV from the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF), the setup yields a 30-keV quasi-Maxwellian neutron spectrum with an intensity of 3-5e10 n/s, more than one order of magnitude larger than present near-threshold 7Li(p,n) neutron sources. The setup was used here to determine the 30-keV Maxwellian averaged cross section (MACS) of 94Zr and 96Zr as 28.0+-0.6 mb and 12.4+-0.5 mb respectively, based on activation measurements. The precision of the cross section determinations results both from the high neutron yield and from detailed simulations of the entire experimental setup. We plan to extend our experimental studies to low-abundance and radioactive targets. In addition, we show here that the setup yields intense high-energy (17.6 and 14.6 MeV) prompt capture gamma-rays from the 7Li(p,gamma)8Be reaction with yields of ~3e8 gammas/s/mA and ~4e8 gammas/s/mA, respectively, evidenced by the 90Zr(gamma,n)89Zr photonuclear reaction.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2009

beta-decay study of Cu-77

A beta-decay study of Cu-77 has been performed at the ISOLDE mass separator with the aim to deduce its beta-decay properties and to obtain spectroscopic information on Zn-77. Neutron-rich copper isotopes were produced by means of proton- or neutron-induced fission reactions on U-238. After the production, Cu-77 was selectively laser ionized, mass separated and sent to different detection systems where beta-gamma and beta-n coincidence data were collected. We report on the deduced half-live, decay scheme, and possible spin assignment of 77Cu.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2006

In Beam Tests of Implanted Helium Targets

Targets consisting of 3,4He implanted into thin aluminum foils (approximately 100, 200 or 600 ug/cm^2) were prepared using intense (a few uA) helium beams at low energy (approximately 20, 40 or 100 keV). Uniformity of the implantation was achieved by a beam raster across a 12 mm diameter tantalum collimator at the rates of 0.1 Hz in the vertical direction and 1 Hz in the horizontal direction. Helium implantation into the very thin (approximately 80-100 ug/cm^2) aluminum foils failed to produce useful targets (with only approximately 10% of the helium retained) due to an under estimation of the range by the code SRIM. The range of low energy helium in aluminum predicted by Northcliffe and Shilling and the NIST online tabulation are observed on the other hand to over estimate the range of low energy helium ions in aluminum. An attempt to increase the amount of helium by implanting a second deeper layer was also carried out, but it did not significantly increase the helium content beyond the blistering limit (approximately 6 x 10^17 helium/cm^2). The implanted targets were bombarded with moderately intense 4He and 16O beams of 50-100 particle nA . Rutherford Back Scattering of 1.0 and 2.5 MeV proton beams and recoil helium from 15.0 MeV oxygen beams were used to study the helium content and profile before, during and after bombardments. We observed the helium content and profile to be very stable even after a prolonged bombardment (up to two days) with moderately intense beams of 16O or 4He. Helium implanted into thin (aluminum) foils is a good choice for thin helium targets needed, for example, for a measurement of the 3he(a,g)7Be reaction and the associated S34 astrophysical cross section factor (S-factor).

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2006

Amplification and Scintillation Properties of Oxygen-Rich Gas Mixtures for Optical-TPC Applications

We studied electron amplification and light emission from avalanches in oxygen-containing gas mixtures. The mixtures investigated in this work included, among others, CO2 and N2O mixed with Triethylamine (TEA) or N2. Double-Step Parallel Gap (DSPG) multipliers and THick Gas Electron Multipliers (THGEM) were investigated. High light yields were measured from CO2+N2 and CO2+TEA, though with different emission spectra. We observed the characteristic wave-length emission of N2 and of TEA and used a polymer wave-length shifter to convert TEA UV-light into the visible spectrum. The results of these measurements indicate the applicability of optical recording of ionizing tracks in a TPC target-detector designed to study the cross section of the 16O(g,a)12C reaction, a central problem in nuclear astrophysics.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2003

A New Measurement of the Proton Capture Rate on 7Be and the S17(0) Factor

The 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction plays a central role in the evaluation of solar neutrino fluxes. We report on a new precision measurement of the cross section of this reaction, following our previous experiment with an implanted target, a raster scanned beam and the elimination of backscattering losses. The new measurement incorporates a higher activity 7Be target and a number of improvements in design and procedure. The cross section at Ec.m. = 850 keV was measured several times under varying expermental conditions, yielding a value of S17(Ec.m.=850 keV) = 24.0 +/- 0.5 eV b. Measurements were carried out at lower energies as well. We obtain from the entire set of measurements an extrapolated value of S17(0) = 21.2 +/- 0.7 eV b.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2002

A New Precision Measurement of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B Cross section with an Implanted 7Be Target

The 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction plays a central role in the evaluation of solar neutrino fluxes. We report on a new precision measurement of the cross section of this reaction, following our previous experiment with an implanted 7Be target, a raster scanned beam and the elimination of the backscattering loss. The new measurement incorporates a more abundant 7Be target and a number of improvements in design and procedure. The point at Elab=991 keV was measured several times under varying conditions, yielding a value of S17(Ec.m. =850 keV) = 24.0(5) eV b. Measurements were carried out at lower energies as well. Due to the precise knowledge of the implanted 7Be density profile it was possible to reconstitute both the off- and on resonance parts of the cross section and to obtain from the entire set of measurements an extrapolated value of S17(0)=21.2(7) eV b.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1998

A new measurement of the 7Li(d,p)8Li cross section and consequences for 7Be(p,gamma)8B

A novel scheme for measuring the cross section of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction, the major source of high energy neutrinos from t he sun, is presented. The scheme involves a strictly uniform particle beam and overcomes some of the recognized experimental uncertainties of previous measurements. A new measurement of sigma[7Li(d,p)8Li] has been carried out using this setup,and the present value of sigma[7Li(d,p)8Li] = 155(8) mbarn at the top of the E_d(lab.)= 776 keV resonance is compared to previous measurements. A new issue regarding both the (d,p) and (p,gamma) reactions has been examined: reaction-product nuclei which are backscattered out of the target. Measurements and simulations carried out in the course of this investigation are presented and discussed in the context of possible effects on the measured cross sections of these reactions.

astro-ph↗