Atomic analysis of the $(n;t)-$reaction of the helium-3 atoms with slow neutrons

TL;DR

This paper calculates the probabilities of forming various hydrogenic species during the helium-3 neutron reaction, analyzes bremsstrahlung radiation, and provides detailed quantitative results for these nuclear processes.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed probability calculations for hydrogenic species formation in helium-3 neutron reactions and analyzes associated bremsstrahlung spectra.

Findings

Probability to form ground state tritium atom is approximately 55.19%.

Probability to form protium atom is approximately 1.02%.

Bremsstrahlung spectrum from fast fission-type reactions is analyzed.

Abstract

Probabilties of formation of various hydrogenic species during the exothermic nuclear $(n,{}^3$He$;t,p)-$reaction of atomic helium-3 with slow neutrons are determined. In particular, we have found that the probability to form the tritium atom ${}^3$H in its ground state is $\approx$ 55.19287 %, while analogous probability to form the protium atom ${}^1$H is $\approx$ 1.02363 %. Analogous probabilities of formation of the negatively charged hydrogen ions, i.e. the ${}^3$H$^{-}$ and ${}^1$H$^{-}$ ions, in the nuclear $(n,{}^3$He$; t,p)-$reaction with slow neutrons, are $\approx$ 7.8680 % and $\approx$ 0.06583 %, respectively. We also consider bremsstrahlung from fast fission-type reactions in atomic systems. The spectrum of emitted radiation is analyzed.