Resonant Formation of dμtd\mu t Molecules in Deuterium: An Atomic Beam Measurement of Muon Catalyzed dt Fusion

Resonant formation of $d\mu t$ molecules in collisions of muonic tritium ($\mu t$) on D$_2$ was investigated using a beam of $\mu t$ atoms, demonstrating a new direct approach in muon catalyzed fusion studies. Strong epithermal resonances in $d\mu t$ formation were directly revealed for the first time. From the time-of-flight analysis of $2036\pm 116$ $dt$ fusion events, a formation rate consistent with $0.73\pm (0.16)_{meas} \pm (0.09)_{model}$ times the theoretical prediction was obtained. For the largest peak at a resonance energy of $0.423 \pm 0.037$ eV, this corresponds to a rate of $(7.1 \pm 1.8) \times 10^9$ s$^{-1}$, more than an order of magnitude larger than those at low energies.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Energy Level Displacement of Excited np State of Kaonic Deuterium In Faddeev Equation Approach

We calculate the energy level displacement of the excited $np$ state of kaonic deuterium in terms of the P-wave scattering length of $K^-d$ scattering. We solve the Faddeev equations for the amplitude of $K^-d$ scattering in the fixed centre approximation and derive the complex P-wave scattering length of $K^-d$ scattering in terms of the S-wave and P-wave scattering lengths of $\bar{K}N$ scattering. The estimated uncertainty of the complex P-wave scattering length is of about $15\,$. For the calculated width $\Gamma_{2p} = 10.203\,{\rm meV}$ of the excited $2p$ state of kaonic deuterium we evaluate the yield $Y_{K^-d} = 0.27\,$ of $X$-rays for the $K_{\alpha}$ emission line of kaonic deuterium. Using the complex S-wave and P-wave scattering lengths of $\bar{K}N$ scattering, calculated in \cite{ECL1,Weise1}, we get the width $\Gamma_{2p} = 2.675\,{\rm meV}$ of the excited $2p$ state and the yield $Y_{K^-d} = 1.90 \,$ of $X$-rays for the $K_{\alpha}$ emission line of kaonic deuterium. The results, obtained in this paper, can be used for the planning of experiments on the measurements of the energy level displacement of the ground state of kaonic deuterium, caused by strong low-energy interactions.Comment: 13 page

Measurement of the Resonant dμtd\mu t Molecular Formation Rate in Solid HD

Measurements of muon-catalyzed dt fusion ($d\mu t \to ^4He+n+\mu^-$) in solid HD have been performed. The theory describing the energy dependent resonant molecular formation rate for the reaction $\mu t$ + HD $\to [(d\mu t)pee]^*$ is compared to experimental results in a pure solid HD target. Constraints on the rates are inferred through the use of a Monte Carlo model developed specifically for the experiment. From the time-of- flight analysis of fusion events in 16 and 37 $\mu g\cdot cm^{-2}$ targets, an average formation rate consistent with 0.897$\pm$(0.046)$_{stat}\pm$ (0.166)$_{syst}$ times the theoretical prediction was obtained.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

On radiative np -> 1s + gamma transitions, induced by strong low-energy interactions,in kaonic atoms

We calculate the rates of the radiative transitions np -> 1s + gamma in kaonic hydrogen and kaonic deuterium, induced by strong low-energy interactions and enhanced by Coulomb interactions. The obtained results should be taken into account for the theoretical analysis of the experimental data on the X-ray spectra and yields in kaonic atoms.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

Energy level displacement of excited np states of kaonic hydrogen

We compute the energy level displacement of the excited np states of kaonic hydrogen within the quantum field theoretic and relativistic covariant model of strong low-energy bar-KN interactions suggested in EPJA21, 11 (2004). For the width of the energy level of the excited 2p state of kaonic hydrogen, caused by strong low-energy interactions, we find Gamma_2p = 2 meV. This result is important for the theoretical analysis of the X-ray yields in kaonic hydrogen.Comment: 20 pages, no figures, Latex, new references are adde

Proton Zemach radius from measurements of the hyperfine splitting of hydrogen and muonic hydrogen

While measurements of the hyperfine structure of hydrogen-like atoms are traditionally regarded as test of bound-state QED, we assume that theoretical QED predictions are accurate and discuss the information about the electromagnetic structure of protons that could be extracted from the experimental values of the ground state hyperfine splitting in hydrogen and muonic hydrogen. Using recent theoretical results on the proton polarizability effects and the experimental hydrogen hyperfine splitting we obtain for the Zemach radius of the proton the value 1.040(16) fm. We compare it to the various theoretical estimates the uncertainty of which is shown to be larger that 0.016 fm. This point of view gives quite convincing arguments in support of projects to measure the hyperfine splitting of muonic hydrogen.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.