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ESR study of atomic hydrogen and tritium in solid T$_{2}$ and T$_{2}$:H$_{2}$ matrices below 1K

Authors :
Sheludiakov, S.
Ahokas, J.
Järvinen, J.
Vainio, O.
Lehtonen, L.
Zvezdov, D.
Vasiliev, S.
Lee, D. M.
Khmelenko, V. V.
Publication Year :
2016

Abstract

We report on the first ESR study of atomic hydrogen and tritium stabilized in a solid T$_{2}$ and T$_{2}$:H$_{2}$ matrices down to 70$\,$mK. The concentrations of T atoms in pure T$_{2}$ approached $2\times10^{20}$cm$^{-3}$ and record-high concentrations of H atoms $\sim1\times10^{20}$cm$^{-3}$ were reached in T$_{2}$:H$_{2}$ solid mixtures where a fraction of T atoms became converted into H due to the isotopic exchange reaction T+H$_2\rightarrow$TH+H. The maximum concentrations of unpaired T and H atoms was limited by their recombination which becomes enforced by efficient atomic diffusion due to a presence of a large number of vacancies and phonons generated in the matrices by $\beta$-particles. Recombination also appeared in an explosive manner both being stimulated and spontaneously in thick films where sample cooling was insufficient. We suggest that the main mechanism for H and T migration is physical diffusion related to tunneling or hopping to vacant sites in contrast to isotopic chemical reactions which govern diffusion of H and D atoms created in H$_{2}$ and D$_{2}$ matrices by other methods.

Details

Database :
arXiv
Publication Type :
Report
Accession number :
edsarx.1609.06564
Document Type :
Working Paper
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CP06933A