Gamma-Rays from Beryllium Caused by Proton Bombardment

Abstract

In bombarding thin beryllium targets with protons of energy 0.30 Mev to 3.0 Mev, gamma-ray resonances were observed at proton energies 0.975, 1.06, 1.13, 1.36, and 2.52 Mev and a neutron resonance at 2.52 Mev. For 1.04-Mev protons the value obtained for the gamma-ray energy was 7.5 Mev which indicates a radiative capture process. At the 2.52-Mev resonance the measured value of the energy of the gamma-rays was about 3.0 Mev. The most probable explanation of the observed resonance at 2.52 Mev appears to be that it is a resonance for the capture of a proton to form ${\mathrm{B}}^{10*}$ which later disintegrates into (${\mathrm{B}}^{9}+{n}^{1}$) and also into (${\mathrm{Li}}^{6*}$+${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$) where ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6*}$ emits 3-Mev gamma-radiation in returning to the ground state.