Nuclear γ Rays from Stopped Muon Capture Reactions for Nuclear Isotope Detection

Abstract

Muon capture isotope detection (MuCID) is a non-destructive detection (assay) of composite and impurity nuclear isotopes by measuring γ rays following muon capture reaction products. Several nuclear isotopes are produced by muon capture reactions such as (μ, xn γ) with \(x = 0\), 1, 2, 3, and so on, and some of them are radioactive isotopes. The isotopes of the interest are identified by measuring γ rays characteristic of the reaction products by means of high-sensitivity Ge detectors. Composite and impurity nuclear isotopes of the orders of microgram–nanogram and ppm–ppb are investigated. The feasibility and the sensitivity of MuCID were shown experimentally by using μ capture reactions on Mo isotopes at MuSIC in RCNP. MuCID is used to study nuclear isotopes of astro-nuclear and particle physics interests and those of geological and historical interests.