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BPT603 P2 RL3

Nuclear Physics

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15 views20 pages

BPT603 P2 RL3

Nuclear Physics

Uploaded by

fetitech
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Nuclear Stability

(BPT-603/P2)
(Dt.07.02.2022)

Dr. Rebecca Lalnuntluangi


Gamow’s theory of alpha decay:
In scattering experiments as α-particle from infinity comes in
close proximity of scattering nucleus, the Coulomb repulsion between
the two increases. When the nucleus and α-particle are just touching
each other, the repulsion is maximum. If the kinetic energy of α-particle
is larger than the Coulomb repulsion, the α-particle will overcome the
repulsion and will enter the nucleus. At this point, suddenly the α-
particle enters the region of nuclear force, where it is attracted by the
nucleons in the nucleus. This interaction between the nucleus and an α-
particle can be represented pictorially by a potential energy curve as
shown in Figure 1. In this figure, the rising portion from A to B indicates
increasing electrostatic repulsion of an α-particle as it approaches the
nucleus. The sharp fall from B to C is essentially the region within the
nucleus, implies attraction of the α-particle by the nucleons present in
the nucleus.
Figure 1: Interaction between α-particle and the nucleus represented by
potential energy curve.
Calculations based on Coulomb law show that the point B
corresponds to energy of about 25 MeV for higher Z elements. Hence, it
may be concluded that an α-particle of energy less than 25 MeV should
be repelled if it approaches the nucleus from outside. If this potential
barrier prevents the access of α-particle from outside the nucleus, the
same barrier should prevent the emission of α-particles from the interior
of the nucleus. However, it is surprising that some radioactive elements
emit α-particles with energy as low as 4.0 MeV, and for no natural
radioisotope the α-particle energy exceeds 11.0 MeV.
Classical mechanics has no explanation to α-decay process. In
1928, Gurney and Condon of U.S.A., and Gamow of Russia
independently developed a theory known as Gamow theory of α-decay
to tackle the problem of α-decay using quantum mechanics.
According to classical mechanics an α-particle having energy 4–11
MeV inside the nucleus cannot cross the potential barrier and escape, if its
energy is less than the maximum height of the Coulomb barrier which is
about 25 MeV, but quantum mechanics predicts that there is a definite but
small probability that such a particle from the interior can be found outside
the nucleus. In other words, there is a definite probability that the α-
particle can escape from the nucleus even when its energy is less than
that of the top of the potential barrier. Thus, quantum mechanically, there
is finite probability that α-particle leaks through the potential barrier, as if
there are holes in the potential barrier. This effect is called quantum
mechanical tunnelling or simply tunnelling.
In order to explain the phenomenon of α-decay, Gamow made the
following assumptions:
1) An α-particle may exist as an α-particle within a heavy nucleus.
2) Such an α-particle is in constant motion and is held in the nucleus by a
potential barrier.
3) There is a small but definite likelihood that the α-particle may tunnel
through the barrier (despite the height of the barrier) each time it
collides with the barrier.
Based on these assumptions, Gamow derived the relation for the
probability that α-particle may tunnel through the potential barrier as
under. In order to make the calculations simple, we consider only one-
dimensional rectangular potential barrier of width a and height V, which
is greater than the kinetic energy of α-particle. This rectangular potential
barrier is shown in Figure 2. There are three regions of interest marked
as I, II, and III.

Figure 2: The rectangular potential barrier V(x) versus x.


In region I, incident and reflected α-particles or waves associated
with α-particles are present. In region II, both forward moving
transmitted waves and reflected waves from the other side of the barrier
are present. In region III, only forward moving transmitted waves are
present. Mathematically, the rectangular potential is defined as

V(x) = 0 for x<0


V(x) = V for 0≤ 𝒙 ≤ 𝒂
V(x) = 0 for x > a

One dimensional time independent Schrödinger equation is given as


In regions I and III, V = 0, so one-dimensional time-independent
Schrödinger Equation

(1)

𝒎𝜶 𝒎𝒅
where 𝒎 = is the reduced mass of the α-particle and daughter
𝒎𝜶 +𝒎𝒅
nucleus; ћ = 𝒉/𝟐𝝅, h being the Planck constant. As both incident and
reflected α-waves are present in region I, so the solution of Eq. (1) in
region I is
𝝋𝑰 = 𝑨𝒆𝒊𝒌𝟏 𝒙 + 𝑩𝒆−𝒊𝒌𝟏 𝒙 (2)
Here p is the momentum and λ is the de Broglie wavelength
associated with α particles of energy E. A and B are constants. The first
term in the solution (Eq. 2) represents the incident wave and the second
term represents the reflected wave. In region III, only the forward
moving transmitted wave is present, hence the solution of Eqn (1) is
𝝋𝑰𝑰𝑰 = 𝑪𝒆𝒊𝒌𝟏 𝒙

The one-dimensional time-independent Schrödinger equation for


the region II, where E < V is
The solution of this equation in region II is

𝝋𝑰𝑰 = 𝑭𝒆−𝒊𝒌𝟐 𝒙 + 𝑮𝒆𝒊𝒌𝟐 𝒙 (3)

First term represents reflected wave and second term represents


refracted wave. Here F and G are constants

𝟐𝒎(𝑽 − 𝑬)
𝒌𝟐 =
ћ
The fraction of the α particles with energy E that will penetrate
the barrier of width a and of height V > E is

𝑻 = 𝒆−𝟐𝒌𝟐𝒂
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐞 𝐓 = −𝟐𝒌𝟐 𝒂 (4)
Inside the nucleus the α -particle is faced with a barrier of varying height i.e.
the nuclear potential is imagined to be made up of a large number of similar
rectangular potential barriers with extremely small width. Because of the
varying height Eq. (4) can be expressed as an integral, i.e.
𝒓

𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆 𝑻 = −𝟐 න 𝒌𝟐 𝒅𝒙
𝒓𝟎

where r0 is the distance from the centre of the nucleus for which potential is
constant. r is the distance from the centre of the nucleus where the potential
energy becomes equal to E. For x > r, E > V, i.e. alpha-particle can escape
permanently from the nucleus.
To calculate the integral, we define the potential energy V(x) as

where (Z – 2)e is the charge of the daughter nucleus and 2e is the charge
of alpha particle.

Since V = E at x = r,
We have,

Substituting this value of r,

Substituting the values of various constants, we get


𝟏/𝟐
𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆(𝑻) = 𝟐. 𝟗𝟕 𝒁 − 𝟐 𝟏/𝟐 𝒓𝟎 − 𝟑. 𝟗𝟓 𝒁 − 𝟐 𝑬−𝟏/𝟐
Decay constant λ = 𝑣𝑡

𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆 𝝀 = 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆 𝒗 + 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆(𝑻)

If v is the velocity of the alpha particle in the nucleus, then the collision
frequency is approximately given by,
ν
𝑣=
2𝑟0
Finally, the required equation of Gamow’s theory is

ν 𝟏/𝟐 𝟏/𝟐
𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆 λ = 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆 + 𝟐. 𝟗𝟕 𝒁 − 𝟐 𝒓𝟎 − 𝟑. 𝟗𝟓 𝒁 − 𝟐 𝑬−𝟏/𝟐
2𝑟0

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