A Safer preprocessing system for analyzing dissolved organic radiocarbon in seawater

Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Jeon, H.*; Hou, Y.*; Watanabe, Takahiro; Aze, Takahiro*; Miyairi, Yosuke*; Yokoyama, Yusuke*; Ogawa, Hiroshi*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 527, p.1 - 6, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2022.07.003

The measurement the radiocarbon of dissolved organic matter (DOC) in seawater can provide information about a timescale of the dynamics of dissolved organic matter as well as about its sources in the ocean. Due to the low DOC concentration in seawater, in spite of the development of accelerator mass spectrometry, a relatively large volume of seawater (1 L) is required for that analysis. In addition, complicated processing such as UV irradiation that emits high heat is required. In this study, we have developed a safer and easier method to analyze DOC in seawater than the conventional method. A particularly significant change was the adoption of a low-pressure mercury lamp in the decomposition system, which enabled direct decomposition of organic matter at lower temperatures. We also propose a method to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of this system by analyzing simulated seawater consists of a soluble reference material of organic matter and sodium chloride. This method is expected to be applied not only to carbon isotope ratio analysis but also to analysis of trace elements and isotopes of various dissolved organic substances.

Visualizing cation vacancies in Ce:GdAlGaO scintillators by gamma-ray-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

Fujimori, Kosuke*; Kitaura, Mamoru*; Taira, Yoshitaka*; Fujimoto, Masaki*; Zen, H.*; Watanabe, Shinta*; Kamada, Kei*; Okano, Yasuaki*; Kato, Masahiro*; Hosaka, Masahito*; et al.

Applied Physics Express, 13(8), p.085505_1 - 085505_4, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.35848/1882-0786/aba0dd

To clarify the existence of cation vacancies in Ce-doped GdAlGaO (Ce:GAGG) scintillators, we performed gamma-ray-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (GiPALS). GiPAL spectra of GAGG and Ce:GAGG comprised two exponential decay components, which were assigned to positron annihilation at bulk and defect states. By an analogy with Ce:YAlO, the defect-related component was attributed to Al/Ga-O divacancy complexes. This component was weaker for Ce, Mg:GAGG, which correlated with the suppression of shallow electron traps responsible for phosphorescence. Oxygen vacancies were charge compensators for Al/Ga vacancies. The lifetime of the defect-related component was significantly changed by Mg co-doping. This was understood by considering aggregates of Mg ions at Al/Ga sites with oxygen vacancies, which resulted in the formation of vacancy clusters.

First nuclear transmutation of Np and Am by accelerator-driven system at Kyoto University Critical Assembly

Pyeon, C. H.*; Yamanaka, Masao*; Oizumi, Akito; Fukushima, Masahiro; Chiba, Go*; Watanabe, Kenichi*; Endo, Tomohiro*; Van Rooijen, W. G.*; Hashimoto, Kengo*; Sakon, Atsushi*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(8), p.684 - 689, 2019/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1618406

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the principle of nuclear transmutation of minor actinide (MA) by the accelerator-driven system (ADS) through the injection of high-energy neutrons into the subcritical core at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. The main objective of the experiments is to confirm fission reactions of neptunium-237 (Np) and americium-241 (Am), and capture reactions of Np. Subcritical irradiation of Np and Am foils is conducted in a hard spectrum core with the use of the back-to-back fission chamber that obtains simultaneously two signals from specially installed test (Np or Am) and reference (uranium-235) foils. The first nuclear transmutation of Np and Am by ADS soundly implemented by combining the subcritical core and the 100 MeV proton accelerator, and the use of a lead-bismuth target, is conclusively demonstrated through the experimental results of fission and capture reaction events.

Proton shell evolution below Sn; First measurement of low-lying -emitting isomers in Ag

Chen, Z. Q.*; Li, Z. H.*; Hua, H.*; Watanabe, Hiroshi*; Yuan, C. X.*; Zhang, S. Q.*; Lorusso, G.*; Orlandi, R.; 60 of others*

Physical Review Letters, 122(21), p.212502_1 - 212502_6, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.212502

Physical and electrical characterizations of AlGaN/GaN MOS gate stacks with AlGaN surface oxidation treatment

Yamada, Takahiro*; Watanabe, Kenta*; Nozaki, Mikito*; Shih, H.-A.*; Nakazawa, Satoshi*; Anda, Yoshiharu*; Ueda, Tetsuzo*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Hosoi, Takuji*; Shimura, Takayoshi*; et al.

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 57(6S3), p.06KA07_1 - 06KA07_6, 2018/06

https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.57.06KA07

Thermal oxidation of AlGaN surface and its impact on the electrical properties of AlGaN/GaN MOS capacitors were investigated by means of synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-PES), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and C-V measurements. SR-PES analysis revealed that the AlGaN surface is oxidized even at low temperature of 400C, in contrast to no oxide formation on GaN surface. However, since no noticeable change in the surface morphology was observed at temperatures up to 800C, it can be concluded that an ultrathin oxide overlayer is formed on the AlGaN surface. On the other hand, for the oxidation treatments above 850C, the formation of small oxide grains was observed over the entire area of the AlGaN surface, and the growth of oxide grains significantly degraded the surface morphology. Therefore, the AlGaN/GaN MOS capacitors were fabricated on the AlGaN surface oxidized at moderate temperatures up to 800C. While we have confirmed that relatively good interface properties are obtained for direct AlON deposition without oxidation treatment, it was found that the oxidation treatment at 400C leads to further improvement of interface properties and reduction of C-V hysteresis.

First direct mass measurements of nuclides around = 100 with a multireflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph

Ito, Yuta*; Schury, P.*; Wada, Michiharu*; Arai, Fumiya*; Haba, Hiromitsu*; Hirayama, Yoshikazu*; Ishizawa, Satoshi*; Kaji, Daiya*; Kimura, Sota*; Koura, Hiroyuki; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 120(15), p.152501_1 - 152501_6, 2018/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.152501

Masses of Es, Fm and the transfermium nuclei Md, and No, produced by hot- and cold-fusion reactions, in the vicinity of the deformed neutron shell closure, have been directly measured using a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph. The masses of Es and Md were measured for the first time. Using the masses of Md as anchor points for decay chains, the masses of heavier nuclei, up to Bh and Mt, were determined. These new masses were compared with theoretical global mass models and demonstrated to be in good agreement with macroscopic-microscopic models in this region. The empirical shell gap parameter derived from three isotopic masses was updated with the new masses and corroborate the existence of the deformed neutron shell closure for Md and Lr.

Determination of fusion barrier distributions from quasielastic scattering cross sections towards superheavy nuclei synthesis

Tanaka, Taiki*; Narikiyo, Yoshihiro*; Morita, Kosuke*; Fujita, Kunihiro*; Kaji, Daiya*; Morimoto, Koji*; Yamaki, Sayaka*; Wakabayashi, Yasuo*; Tanaka, Kengo*; Takeyama, Mirei*; et al.

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 87(1), p.014201_1 - 014201_9, 2018/01

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.87.014201

Excitation functions of quasielastic scattering cross sections for the Ca + Pb, Ti + Pb, and Ca + Cm reactions were successfully measured by using the gas-filled recoil-ion separator GARIS. Fusion barrier distributions were extracted from these data, and compared with the coupled-channels calculations. It was found that the peak energies of the barrier distributions for the Ca + Pb and Ti + Pb systems coincide with those of the 2n evaporation channel cross sections for the systems, while that of the Ca + Cm is located slightly below the 4n evaporation ones. This results provide us helpful information to predict the optimum beam energy to synthesize superheavy nuclei.

Observation of doubly-charged ions of francium isotopes extracted from a gas cell

Schury, P.*; Wada, Michiharu*; Ito, Yuta*; Kaji, Daiya*; Haba, Hiromitsu*; Hirayama, Yoshikazu*; Kimura, Sota*; Koura, Hiroyuki; MacCormick, M.*; Miyatake, Hiroari*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 407, p.160 - 165, 2017/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2017.06.014

Various isotopes of Ac, Ra, Fr, and Rn were produced by fusion-evaporation reactions using a Ca beam. The energetic ions were stopped in and extracted from a helium gas cell. The extracted ions were identified using a multi-reflection time-of-fight mass spectrograph. In all cases, it was observed that the predominant charge state for the extracted ions, including the alkali Fr, was 2+.

Type II shell evolution in isobars from the island of inversion

Morales, A. I.*; Benzoni, G.*; Watanabe, H.*; Tsunoda, Yusuke*; Otsuka, T.*; Nishimura, Shunji*; Browne, F.*; Daido, R.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Fang, Y.*; et al.

Physics Letters B, 765, p.328 - 333, 2017/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2016.12.025

Valence-band electronic structure evolution of graphene oxide upon thermal annealing for optoelectronics

Yamaguchi, Hisato*; Ogawa, Shuichi*; Watanabe, Daiki*; Hozumi, Hideaki*; Gao, Y.*; Eda, Goki*; Mattevi, C.*; Fujita, Takeshi*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Ishizuka, Shinji*; et al.

Physica Status Solidi (A), 213(9), p.2380 - 2386, 2016/09

https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201532855

We report valence-band electronic structure evolution of graphene oxide (GO) upon its thermal reduction. The degree of oxygen functionalization was controlled by annealing temperature, and an electronic structure evolution was monitored using real-time ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. We observed a drastic increase in the density of states around the Fermi level upon thermal annealing at 600C. The result indicates that while there is an apparent bandgap for GO prior to a thermal reduction, the gap closes after an annealing around that temperature. This trend of bandgap closure was correlated with the electrical, chemical, and structural properties to determine a set of GO material properties that is optimal for optoelectronics. The results revealed that annealing at a temperature of 500C leads to the desired properties, demonstrated by a uniform and an order of magnitude enhanced photocurrent map of an individual GO sheet compared to an as-synthesized counterpart.