MRI: Acquisition of Equipment to Study the Structural and Chemical Properties of Molecular Subtances Using Positron Annihilation

Bucknell University, Lewisburg PA

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Bucknell University will acquire equipment that is central to for the study positron annihilation in molecular solids. When positrons are injected in molecular solids they can form a positroniums, which are bound states with electrons. Along with the annihilation rate of free positrons, measurement of annihilation lifetime of positronium in molecular solids provides both chemical and structural information about the molecular solid. The instrument acquired through this award will allow measurement of both positron annihilation lifetime spectra and Doppler broadened annihilation spectra from in an effort to investigate these properties of a variety of molecular solids. Crucial timing resolution of two hundred picoseconds and energy resolution of the order of one kiloelectronvolts will be achieved. The instrumentation will be used in supervised research opportunities for undergraduates using positron annihilation to study structural and chemical properties of materials such as zeolites and will support an existing REU summer research program. With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program, Bucknell University will acquire equipment that is central to for the study positron annihilation in molecular solids. When positrons are injected in molecular solids they can form a positroniums, which are bound states with electrons. Along with the annihilation rate of free positrons, measurement of annihilation lifetime of positronium in molecular solids provides both chemical and structural information about the molecular solid. The instrument acquired through this award will allow measurement of both positron annihilation lifetime spectra and Doppler broadened annihilation spectra from in an effort to investigate these properties of a variety of molecular solids. Crucial timing resolution of two hundred picoseconds and energy resolution of the order of one kiloelectronvolts will be achieved. The instrumentation will be used in supervised research opportunities for undergraduates using positron annihilation to study structural and chemical properties of materials such as zeolites and will support an existing REU summer research program.