Muon-catalyzed<i>pt</i>fusion

Abstract

Gamma rays and, for the first time, conversion muons of pt fusion have been measured from liquid mixtures of protium, deuterium, and tritium. The rate ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{10}$ for spin flip from the triplet to the singlet state of t\ensuremath{\mu}(1s) was found to be ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{10}$=(1.06\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{3}$\ensuremath{\mu}${\mathit{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, the rate for muon-catalyzed pt fusion from the (I=1) nuclear-spin state to be ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathit{p}\mathit{t}}^{\mathit{f}}$(I=1) =0.067\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.${002}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}0.002}^{+0.005}$\ensuremath{\mu}${\mathit{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, and the and the molecular formation rate to be ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathit{p}\mathit{t}}^{\mathit{m}}$=(7.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.${3}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}0.3}^{+1.0}$)\ensuremath{\mu}${\mathit{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ (all rates normalized to liquid hydrogen density).