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Metallic magnetic calorimeters have been used for several years for the determination of the shapes of beta spectra. Experimental spectra of the beta decays of $$^{63}$$ Ni and $$^{241}$$ Pu exhibit, at very low energy, strong deviations from standard theoretical calculations including corrections for screening, radiative, and nuclear size effects. These discrepancies can be attributed to the atomic exchange effect. In particular the spectrum of $$^{63}$$ Ni measured with an electroplated $$^{63}$$ Ni source is in excellent agreement with theory including the exchange effect. This underlines the quality of the experimental spectrum as well as the correctness of the calculation of the exchange effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear decay data measurements were performed in the frame of a EURAMET project. Two specific goals were addressed: (1) High-precision measurements of ^238U alpha-particle emission probabilities and (2) experimental characterization of the shape of beta spectra using cryogenic detectors. In the paper, specific lessons learned from the metrological work are highlighted. This includes effects of source preparation on the quality of alpha and beta spectrometry, the influence of exchange effects on beta spectra and the use of a magnet system to eliminate coincidence effects by conversion electrons in alpha-particle spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Metallic magnetic calorimeters are a specific type of cryogenic detectors that have been shown to enable precise measurement of the shape of low energy beta spectra. The aim of their use at LNHB is the determination of the shape factors of beta spectra. The beta source is enclosed in the detector absorber, allowing for very high detection efficiency. It has turned out that the type of source is of crucial importance for the correctness of the measured spectrum. Spectra of 63Ni measured with several sources prepared by drying a NiCl2 solution differ from one another and from theory, whereas spectra measured with electroplated sources are reproducible and agree with theory. With these latter measurements we could confirm the atomic exchange effect down to very low energy (200eV). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]