1

Para esta lectura:

Summary from last time:
- Coocer ley de desintegracin radiactiva, vida media y periodo de semidesintegrac.
-Ser capaz de calcular los factores de Q de la desintegracin alfa y comprender
-las implicaciones para la estabilidad nuclear
Una mirada de la mecnica cuntica en la desintegracin alfa
2
By 1928, George Gamouw (brilliant Russian born theorist)
developed a quasi-classical model for alpha decay
Good friend of Lev Landau and another
Russian physicist Dmitri Ivanenko the Three Musketeers
Worked in several different fields
Early 1900s: radioactive decay known to have characteristic rates and energies.
However, no clear explanation as to why......
Attempted twice to defect in 1932, trying to kayak ~250 km over the Arctic Sea to
Norway. Both attempts failed.......
In 1933, tried a less dramatic approach: disappeared when attending a conference in
Brussels. Turned up In 1934 in the United States.
One of the most significant physicists never to have won NP.
contributed to big bang theory and theoretical biology
Cmo algunas partculas se forman en el ncleo?
Consider 2 protons + 2 neutrons in heavy nucleus:
Liquid drop model BE~ 8 MeV/nucleon for all nucleons
However, shell model BE~ 6 MeV/nucleon for outer nucleons
Total BE of 4 outer nucleons ~ 4 x 6 MeV = 24 MeV
Imagine 4 nucleones amalgamate to form -particle
Details not really clear.... (QM plays a large role)
As que por qu no acaba de salir??
Why dont heavy nuclei release -particles and decompose instantaneously?
BE of an o particle ~ 28.3 MeV
P
o
t
e
n
t
i
a
l

E
n
e
r
g
y

4 nucleons in nucleus
o particle outside nucleus
BE is depth of the potential energy well in which the nucleons sit,
i.e. Piense of as a negative potential energy:
Distance
Barrier at edge of nucleus due to coulomb potential
i.e. -particle has (+) kinetic energy and en principio podria dejer el nucleo
4
Pictorial representation of potentials:
Potential energy of nucleons:
Difference in potential
energy of 4 nucleons and o:
5
Entonces, cmo la partcula alfa nunca abandona ?
QM tunel a traves de la barrera:
Probability of tunnelling out =
Square of ratio of wavefunctions (+)
inside and outside barrier
Tunnelling through 1/r Coulomb
potential difficult to analyze
The solution: approximate to
sequence of square barriers:
By classical physics, there is no possibility for alpha particle a subir la barrier
6
Reminder of square barrier tunnelling:
Transmission (T) probability given by:
U
0
= barrier height
t = barrier thickness
m = particle mass
E = particle energy
By multiplying transmission probabilities:
1 2 3
2 ( )
2 2 2
..........
t dt
t t t
T e e e e
k
k k k

A A A
}
= =
(where integral is over thickness for which U(t) > E)
Through sequence of barriers:
Simply rewriting this by
replacing t with radial coordinate r:
G
T e

=
with Gamow factor:
R is radius of strong potential (i.e. nucleus)
b is distance at which U(r) = E
Note: sqrt (barrier height)
7
Tunnelling through a Coulomb barrier:
For r > R, Coulomb barrier potential is:
(z = 2 for o
particle)
Substitute into Gamow factor:
Integrate:
( do this with change of variable k using r = b cos
2
(k) )
Typically, coulomb barrier potential is much larger than particle kinetic energy
Then b >> R, and one can make the approximations: 1)

2)
1
cos
2
R R
b b
t

~
2
2
R R R
b b b
~
Gamow factor becomes:
Z of daughter nucleus
8
gives the transmission probability of o penetrating the
Coulomb barrier when it approaches it
However, to know decay rate we must also know how often particle approaches
barrier:
Recall that b is the distance r at which U(r) = E, i.e.
Also, since particles are non-relativistic:
Substituting these obtains
the simplest form of G:
(fine structure constant)
T = Exp(-G)
Assume -particle has velocity V
0
within nucleus, radius R

Will then make V
0
/2R approaches to barrier per second

Thus probability of leaving nucleus per unit time:
Have their normal meaning
=

9
Kinetic energy of o particle
Shorter t
1/2
for lower Z and higher Q
1) Z
2) Q
Lifetime behaviour within alpha decay groups:
1) Z dependence:
=

P
o
t
e
n
t
i
a
l

E
n
e
r
g
y

r
Lower potential barrier for lower Z nuclei
- G factor lower
- Higher probability of escape: lower t
1/2
In nucleus
Outside nucleus
2) Q dependence Higher Q higher V
0
inside nucleus
More attempts to escape, lower t
1/2
10
Functional form of tunnelling probability function:
Where the variables f and g are given by:
Approximately constant: ln(R) and RZ vary only slightly
between common -emitters.
V
0
assumed to be constant.
Constant
Recall the empirical Geiger-Nuttall relation:
Take the logarithm of both sides:
functionally identical to tunnelling equation above (assuming KE of
liberated -particle takes lions share of Q released in decay)
Log dependence of and E get enormous range in decay constant for relatively
small changes in KE of -particle
due to 1/r dependence of coulomb barrier
=

b
1

=

11
Only one unknown left: V
0
.
For simplicity, assume V
0
= V:
If the mass of daughter nucleus is >> o particle, then E ~ Q
Finalizing the tunnelling rate equation:
Get finalized equation:
=

fits well to experimental decay rates
best fits yield empirical relation for radius:
R = 1.53 x A
1/3
fm.
Compare this to empirical relation found from
scattering measurements: R = 1.2 x A
1/3
fm.

Empirical radius from decay fits are a
convolution of nuclear and -particle radii
ln()
Z (m/Q)
1/2
12
Worked example:
2
G
v
e
R

=
2
4
8
Zc mc RZ
G
v c
to o
=
Calculate the half life for the emission, , which has Q = 6 MeV
235 231 4
93 91 2
Np Pa He +
(Neptunium protactinium)
A
parent
= 235

Z
daughter
= 91
= 0.8 x 10
-5
s
-1
R
parent
= 1.53 x A
1/3
fm = 9.44 fm
Determines height of coulomb barrier that
alpha particle has to tunnel through
a) Calculate energy of emitted alpha particle:
Q ~ KE of alpha = m
o
v
2

m
o
= 6.64 10
-27
kg
v = 1.7 x 10
7
m/s
b) Calculate emission probability from nucleus:
Fine structure
constant = 1/137
= 147.3 87.3 = 60
Careful to convert
R from fm to m
T
1/2
= ln(2) / = 86,600 s = 24 hours
13
works well in broad terms:
Explains Geiger-Nuttall relation and other caracteristicas claves

predicts most emission lifetimes fairly accurately

find that Q << 3 MeV for Z < 80, lifetimes exceed age of Universe.
Essentially implies that lighter elements never decay, as is observed.
Evaluacion of QM model for -decay:
Many approximations made: could be more rigorous
e.g. no se tuvo en cuenta treatment of centrifugal barrier term

Treatment of -particle within nucleus unsatisfactory
e.g. Probability of formation within nuclei different for even-even,
odd-odd, odd-A nuclei. La probabilidad of formation/emission of
-particle will also depend on shell filling.

Shape of potential assumed too simple:
Los potenciales reales de Woods-Saxon tienen una transicion mas suave
a la dependencia de Coulomb

Simple model does not work for a-spherical nuclei
However, there are some problemas:
14
For next lecture:

A closer look at beta decay
Summary:
- explain alpha emission probability in terms of barrier tunnelling
- be able to apply tunnelling probability function to determine decay rates
15

2. Potencial pozo infinito
3. Potencial pozo finito cuadrado
4. Potencial pozo redondeado (Wood-Saxon)
5.Potencial exponencial
6. Potencial de Yukawa
1. Potencial tipo oscilador armnico:
7. Potencial con centro repulsivo impenetrable.
16