The elastic scattering of 6.5 MeV deuterons by deuterium, helium and other light elements

Abstract

The methods previously described have been applied to a study of the scattering of 6.5 MeV deuterons by deuterium, helium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and neon. In the case of deuterium, helium and oxygen the elastically scattered deuterons can be clearly distinguished at all angles of scattering from groups of particles due to other nuclear processes. In experiments with these gases it is thus possible to determine the angular variation of the scattered intensity. The results show that P and D terms make appreciable contributions to the amplitude of the scattered wave. This result is in contrast with that obtained previously in experiments with protons of approximately the same speed, in which it was found that the scattered intensity could be described by an interaction of the Coulomb term with an S -wave only. In experiments with carbon, nitrogen and neon, the peaks in the range distributions due to the elastically scattered deuterons are confused with those produced by protons or α -particles from ( d - p ) and ( d - α ) reactions, and the results are less reliable or are confined to restricted intervals in the angle of scattering. The Q values of the reactions giving rise to the proton groups have been determined and values thus obtained of the energy of a number of excited states in the product nuclei. A study of the variation with the angle of scattering of the range of deuterons elastically scattered by helium nuclei is shown to afford a method of investigating the range-energy relation for an emulsion which has advantages over that previously employed.