Kinematically complete angular correlation experiments with position insensitive large area detectors

Abstract

The reaction kinematics for angular correlation experiments with one large area detector is described. The discussion shows that under certain conditions kinematically complete experiments can be performed even if the large area detector is not position sensitive. The missing position information can be calculated from the measured kinetic energies using three-particle kinematics. The method was used at the Hamburg Isochronous Cyclotron in the investigation of the three-particle reactions α + d → α + p + n and d + d → d + p + n, and the principle was tested in the two-particle scattering process α + d → α + d. the kinematic and phase space formulae derived for correlation experiments are useful for position sensitive as well as for position insensitive detectors.