Isotope Shift of the K(α1) X-Ray in Uranium

Author: Brockmeier, Richard Taber

Year: 1966

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Boehm, Felix H.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/7Q11-2C69

Abstract

The first experimental evidence of the isotopic shift of electronic K x-rays has been found. A two-meter focal length curved-crystal diffraction spectrometer was used to measure the wavelengths of fluorescent K(alpha 1) x-rays from isotopically pure U233 and U238 samples. The difference in wavelengths was found to be 0.00228 +/- 0.00022 x-units. This corresponds to a 1.8 +/- 0.2 eV energy difference, the U233 x-ray being higher in energy. The result is discussed in terms of 1) the pure volume effect, 2) the even-odd staggering contributions, 3) the change of intrinsic quadrupole moments, and 4) the nuclear compressibility factor. Good agreement between the experimental result and theory is obtained by considering either the pure volume effect, or by considering the contributions of all four effects choosing the parameter for the nuclear compressibility somewhat higher than inferred from the optical isotope shift measurements.

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