Angular distribution measurements of 6Li(p, α) 3He reaction at 140 keV proton energy using nuclear track detectors

Abstract

Angular distributions of a 6 Li( p,α) 3 He reaction were measured at six angles for 140 keV proton energy using nuclear track detectors (NTDs). The measurements were carried out over 60°–160° lab. angles in 20° increments using a scattering chamber of 80° beam line of the 350 kV accelerator. A semiconductor silicon surface barrier (SSB) detector was placed at +160° and was used as a monitor. The results have shown that the CR-39 detector has excellent capabilities to distinguish 1.4– 2.7 MeV α+ 3 He particles from the 6 Li( p,α) 3 He reaction and 8– 9.4 MeV α -particles from the 7 Li( p,α) 4 He reaction through their track diameters. However, it was not possible to distinguish between the 2.3 MeV 3 He ions and the 1.7 MeV 4 He ions from the 6 Li( p,α) 3 He reaction from their track diameter measurements, but it was possible to differentiate between the two, from the darker contrast of the 3 He particles caused by its deeper tracks as compared to those of 4 He .