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Search for munoic radicals (μ⁺) radicals in condensed media Kent, Michael

Abstract

The technique of muonium spin rotation (MSR) has been used in the transverse field method in an attempt at the direct detection of muonic radicals. Carbon disulfide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide were chosen as substrates into which positive muons were implanted. The positive muon, through its asymmetric decay, acts as a sensitive detector of the interactions of its spin with the medium. The theory of the MSR technique has been discussed with particular emphasis being placed on a method of measurement of the hyperfine interaction of a positive muon with a paramagnetic environment, such as would be expected if the muon were part of a polyatomic free radical. Tentative evidence for the existence of such a species has been found in CO₂ at 77 K. Molecular orbital calculations were performed on assumed structures for the addition products of the muonium atom (μ⁺e⁻) with the substrate materials. The MSR experimental system at TRIUMF is described with respect to the transverse field technique.

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