The annihilation of positrons in Argon has been investigated
as a function of Argon density and applied electric field using the technique of lifetime measurements. Lifetime spectra were analyzed using the maximum likelihood method of curve fitting. Results obtained at zero electric field yielded a linear dependence on density for the direct annihilation rate of (5.6 ± 0.1) x 10⁶sec⁻1 amagat⁻¹, with some evidence of non-linearity at densities greater than 10 amagats. The density dependence of the long-lived component
of the time spectra indicated a zero density intercept of
(7.2 ± 0.4) x 10⁻⁶sec⁻¹ in agreement with the theoretical value of the
free orthopositronium annihilation rate (7-2. x 10⁶ sec⁻¹ ). In
addition an orthopositronium quenching rate of (0.29 ± 0.04) x 10⁶
sec⁻¹ amagat⁻¹ was obtained from the linear dependence of the orthopositronium
annihilation rate on density.
The electric field dependence of the direct annihilation rate and orthopositronium formation have been measured and are used to provide an internally consistent picture of the behaviour of positrons in a gas under the influence of an applied electric field. Furthermore, these results have been compared with theoretical results for the direct annihilation rate obtained from one parameter
representations of the effective positron-Argon atom interaction.
It is shown that, while such potentials are successful in describing the low-energy elastic-scattering of electrons from noble gas atoms, they are inadequate for the case of positrons. However, consideration of the way in which the direct annihilation
rate changes as a function of electric field leads to an upper
limit of 15π₀² for the momentum-transfer cross-section for positrons in Argon at thermal energies. Such an estimate is shown to be independent of any assumption concerning the effective positron-Argon atom interaction. / Science, Faculty of / Physics and Astronomy, Department of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/38320 |
| Date | January 1966 |
| Creators | Orth, Paul Hans Robert |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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