High precision half-life measurement of $^{95}$Ru, $^{95}$Tc and $^{95m}$Tc with $\gamma$-spectroscopy

TL;DR

This study precisely measured the half-lives of $^{95}$Ru, $^{95}$Tc, and $^{95m}$Tc using gamma spectroscopy, refining previous data and improving the accuracy of related nuclear reaction cross section measurements.

Contribution

The paper provides new, high-precision half-life measurements for $^{95}$Ru, $^{95}$Tc, and $^{95m}$Tc, updating and improving upon decades-old literature values.

Findings

Half-life of $^{95}$Ru: 1.6033 ± 0.0044 hours

Half-life of $^{95}$Tc: 19.258 ± 0.026 hours

Half-life of $^{95m}$Tc: 61.96 ± 0.24 days

Abstract

The precise knowledge of the half-life of the reaction product is of crucial importance for a nuclear reaction cross section measurement carried out with the activation technique. The cross section of the $^{92}$Mo($\alpha$,n)$^{95}$Ru reaction was measured recently using this experimental approach. The preliminary results indicated that the literature half-life of $^{95}$Ru, derived about half a century ago, is overestimated. Therefore, the half-lives of $^{95}$Ru and its daughter isotope $^{95}$Tc and $^{95m}$Tc have been measured with high precision using $\gamma$-spectroscopy. The results are t$_{1/2}$=1.6033 $\pm$ 0.0044 h for $^{95}$Ru, t$_{1/2}$ = 19.258 $\pm$ 0.026 h for $^{95}$Tc and t$_{1/2}$ = 61.96 $\pm$ 0.24 d for $^{95m}$Tc. The precision of the half-life values has been increased, consequently the recently measured $^{92}$Mo($\alpha$,n)$^{95}$Ru activation cross section will become more precise.