Nuclear(n;t)reaction in the three-electron6Li atom

Abstract

The nuclear $(n;t)$ reaction of the three-electron ${}^{6}$Li atom with thermal or slow neutrons is considered. An effective method has been developed for determining the probabilities of the formation of various atoms and ions in different bound states. We discuss a number of fundamental questions directly related to numerical computations of the final-state atomic probabilities. A few appropriate variational expansions for atomic wave functions of the incident lithium atom and final helium atom and/or tritium negatively charged ion are discussed. It appears that the final ${}^{4}$He atom arising during the nuclear $(n,{}^{6}$Li; ${}^{4}$He$,t)$ reaction in the three-electron Li atom can also be created in its triplet states. The formation of the quasistable three-electron ${e}_{3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ during the nuclear $(n;t)$ reaction at the Li atom is briefly discussed. Bremsstrahlung emitted by atomic electrons accelerated by the rapidly moving nuclear fragments from this reaction is analyzed. The frequency spectrum of the emitted radiation is investigated.