The measurement of the angular distribution of maximally correlated annihilation gamma rays radiated in coincidence, like those emitted from a 22Na source, is a classic experiment that is nowadays ordinarily performed in nuclear physics laboratory classes. For the first time, we present an analytic expression for such angular distributions, which can be easily tested and compared with the laboratory measurements.
References
1.
D. R.
Hamilton
, “On directional correlation of successive quanta
,” Phys. Rev.
58
, 122
–131
(1940
).2.
C. N.
Yang
, “On the angular distribution in nuclear reactions and coincidence measurements
,” Phys. Rev.
74
, 764
–772
(1948
).3.
E. L.
Brady
and M.
Deutsch
, “Angular correlation of successive gamma-rays
,” Phys. Rev.
78
, 558
–566
(1950
).4.
L. C.
Biedenharn
and M. E.
Rose
, “Theory of angular correlation of nuclear radiations
,” Rev. Mod. Phys.
25
, 729
–777
(1953
).5.
J. S.
Lawson
and H.
Frauenfelder
, “The correction for finite angular resolution in directional correlation measurements
,” Phys. Rev.
91
, 649
–652
(1953
).6.
D. J.
Rowe
, G. L.
Salmon
, and A. B.
Clegg
, “Finite geometry corrections for angular correlation measurements
,” Nucl. Instrum. Methods
12
, 353
–354
(1961
).7.
A.
Feingold
and S.
Frankel
, “Geometrical corrections in angular correlation measurements
,” Phys. Rev.
97
, 1025
–1030
(1955
).8.
V.
Procida Veissid
, G.
Kenchian
, and M.
Cruz
, “Experimental solid-angle correction for gamma angular correlations
,” Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A
309
, 222
–226
(1991
).9.
J.
Barrette
, G.
Lamoureux
, and S.
Monaro
, “Geometrical correction factors for angular correlation measurements with Ge(Li) detectors
,” Nucl. Instrum. Methods
93
, 1
–11
(1971
).10.
A.
Melissinos
and J.
Napolitano
, Experiments in Modern Physics
, 2nd ed. (Academic Press
, San Diego, CA
, 2003
).11.
ORTEC AN34 Laboratory Manual, Experiment 13: “
Gamma-Gamma Coincidence with Angular Correlation
,” 3rd ed., <https://www.ortec-online.com/service-and-support/library/educational-experiments>.12.
A. J.
Ferguson
, Angular Correlation Methods in Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
(North-Holland Publishing Company
, Amsterdam
, 1965
).13.
William R.
Leo
, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments: A How-to Approach
, 2nd ed. (Springer-Verlag
, Berlin
, 1993
).14.
G. F.
Knoll
, Radiation Detection and Measurement
, 4th ed. (Wiley
, Chichester, UK
, 2010
).15.
Here we mean “true” coincidences, coming from events originating in the same decay. They should be distinguished from “accidental” coincidences, due to the accidental combination of two separate events from independent decays that occur closely spaced in time.
16.
ORTEC AN34 Laboratory Manual, Experiment 9: “
Time Coincidence Techniques and Absolute Activity Measurements
,” 3rd ed., <https://www.ortec-online.com/service-and-support/library/educational-experiments>.17.
C. E.
Crouthamel
, F.
Adams
, R.
Dams
, R.
Belcher
, and H.
Freiser
, Applied Gamma-Ray Spectrometry
, 2nd ed. (Pergamon Press
, London
, 1970
).18.
R. M.
Measures
, Laser Remote Sensing: Fundamentals and Applications
(Wiley
, New York, NY
, 1983
).© 2019 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2019
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.