Oxygen determination in materials by ¹⁸O(p,αγ)¹⁵N nuclear reaction

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• 作者：Sanjiv Kumar^a ; ^{sanjucccm@rediffmail.com" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Y. Sunitha^a ; G.L.N. Reddy^a ; A.A. Sukumar^a ; J.V. Ramana^a ; A. Sarkar^a ; Rakesh Verma^b
• 关键词：Oxygen ; PIGE ; Nuclear reaction ; Thick target yields
• 刊名：Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：1 July 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：378
• 期：Complete
• 页码：38-44
• 全文大小：1102 K

文摘

The paper presents a proton induced γ-ray emission method based on ¹⁸O(p,αγ)¹⁵N nuclear reaction to determine bulk oxygen in materials. The determination involves the measurement of 5.27 MeV γ-rays emitted following the de-excitation of ¹⁵N nuclei. A description of the energetics of the reaction is given to provide an insight into the origin of 5.27 MeV γ-rays. In addition, thick target γ-ray yields and the limits of detection are measured to ascertain the analytical potential of the reaction. The thick-target γ-ray yields are measured with a high purity germanium detector and a bismuth germanate detector at 0° as well as 90° angles in 3.0–4.2 MeV proton energy region. The best limit of detection of about 1.3 at.% is achieved at 4.2 MeV proton energy for measurements at 0° as well 90° angles with the bismuth germanate detector while the uncertainty in quantitative analysis is <8%. The reaction has a probing depth of several tens of microns. Interferences can arise from fluorine due to the occurrence of ¹⁹F(p,αγ)¹⁶O reaction that emits 6–7 MeV γ-rays. The analytical potential of the methodology is demonstrated by determining oxygen in several oxide as well as non-oxide materials.