Muonium atoms in liquid and solid neopentane

Abstract

Relatively long-lived muonium atoms have been observed in neopentane (dimethylpropane). The yields of all muon states are found to be essentially the same in liquid and solid neopentane and the same as those in water. These results have bearings on three matters of current interest in muonium chemistry: the origin of the "background" spin relaxation; the formation mechanism; and the change in yields at the liquid–solid phase transition. These data were obtained by the μSR technique (muon spin rotation) at the TRIUMF accelerator.