Assignment and disintegration scheme of the 6.75-hour molybdenum

Abstract

Contrary to previous reports, deuteron bombardment of molybdenum does not produce any measurable amount of the 6.75-hour Mo activity. The assignment of this activity has, therefore, been reinvestigated and correctly found to be still Mo⁹³. Decay does not take place by positron emission or K-capture. A disintegration scheme has been worked out using absorption, beta-ray spectrograph, and coincidence counter measurements. By successive emission of three gamma-rays of energies 0.30, 0.70 and 1.7 Mev of which the first is about 90 percent internally converted, the 6.75-hour Mo⁹³ passes into a long-lived isomeric state. Mo K_α x-rays resulting from the conversion have been found.