Study of the nuclear fusion in a muonic dμ3He complex

Abstract

An experimental study of the nuclear fusion reaction in the charge-asymmetrical d μ3He complex (d μ3He →α (3.5 MeV) + p (14.64 MeV)) is presented. The 14.64 MeV protons were detected by three pairs of Si(dE-E) telescopes placed around the cryogenic target filled with D2 + 3He gas at 34 K. The 6.85 keV γ rays emitted during the de-excitation of the d μ3He complex were detected by a germanium detector. The measurements were performed at two D2 + 3He target densities, ϕ= 0.0585 and ϕ= 0.168 (relative to liquid hydrogen density) with an atomic concentration of 3He c3He = 0.0496. The values of the effective rate of nuclear fusion in d μ3He were obtained for the first time: $\tilde{\lambda}_{f} = (4.5^{+2.6}_{-2.0}) \times 10^5 ~ \mbox{s}^{-1} (\varphi = 0.0585)$ ; $\tilde{\lambda}_{f} = (6.9^{+3.6}_{-3.0}) \times 10^5 ~ (\varphi = 0.168)$ . The J=0 nuclear fusion rate in d μ3He was derived: $\lambda^{J=0}_{f} = (9.7^{+5.7}_{-2.6}) \times 10^5 ~ \mbox{s}^{-1} (\varphi = 0.0585)$ ; $ \lambda^{J=0}_{f}=(12.4^{+6.5}_{-5.4}) \times 10^5 ~ \mbox{s}^{-1} (\varphi = 0.168)$ .