A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

ESR study of atomic hydrogen and tritium in solid T2 and T2:H2 matrices below 1 K




AuthorsS. Sheludiakov, J. Ahokas, J. Järvinen, L. Lehtonen, O. Vainio, S. Vasiliev, D. M. Lee, V. V. Khmelenko

PublisherRoyal Society of Chemistry

Publication year2017

JournalPhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Journal name in sourcePhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Volume19

Issue4

First page 2834

Last page2842

Number of pages9

ISSN1463-9076

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp06933a(external)


Abstract

We report on the first ESR study of atomic hydrogen and tritium stabilized in solid T2 and T2:H2 matrices down to 70 mK. The concentrations of T atoms in pure T2 approached 2 × 1020 cm-3 (0.60%) and record-high concentrations of H atoms ∼1 × 1020 cm-3 (0.33%) were reached in T2:H2 solid mixtures where a fraction of T atoms became converted into H due to the isotopic exchange reaction T + H2 → TH + H. The maximum concentrations of unpaired T and H atoms were limited by their recombination which becomes enhanced by efficient atomic diffusion due to the presence of a large number of vacancies and phonons generated in the matrices by β-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 tunneling chemical exchange reactions which govern diffusion of H and D atoms created in H2 and D2 matrices by other methods.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 17:46