chanelink logo
CHANELINK
繁体中文

Accurate measurement of neptunium ionization potential using new laser technology

433
2024-05-11 16:42:14
查看翻譯

Neptunium is the main radioactive component of nuclear waste, with a complex atomic structure that can be explored through mass spectrometry. This analysis is crucial for understanding its inherent characteristics and determining the isotopic composition of neptunium waste. Magdalena Kaja and her team from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany have developed a novel laser spectroscopy technique that can more accurately measure the ionization potential of neptunium compared to previous methods.

Neptunium is an actinide metal in the periodic table adjacent to uranium, with an atomic number of 93. The inspiration for its name comes from Neptune, located outside of Uranus in the solar system, which is a recognition of its position. Among the 25 known isotopes, most have extremely short lifetimes. However, the most stable isotope, neptunium 237 (237 Np), has a half-life of over 2 million years, making it a particularly dangerous nuclear pollutant.

The neptunium isotope samples available for this type of analysis are very small: they typically only contain a few atoms of the isotope.


Magdalena Kaja and her colleagues utilized a cutting-edge device that includes solid-state titanium: sapphire laser systems, enhanced laser ion sources, and high transmittance mass separators. This advanced equipment has played an important role in their research on neptunium.

The research team used this technique to measure the first ionization energy of neptunium, which is the energy required to remove the first electron from the outermost electron shell to form a positive ion. They accurately determined the value to be 6.265608 (19) eV. This measurement is not only consistent with the values previously reported in scientific literature, but also achieves an accuracy level more than ten times higher than any previous measurement.

This method can also be applied to the analysis and detection of trace amounts of neptunium in radioactive waste.

Source: Laser Net

相關推薦

  • TRUMPF machine cooler saves 50 percent energy

    Ditzingen, 05. March 2025 – At its in-house exhibition INTECH, high-tech company TRUMPF is showcasing a new cooler for its laser cutting machines. The new unit is capable of reducing energy consumed during the cooling process and uses fifty percent less energy than conventional solutions. Unlike conventional coolers, the main components of this new solution— such as pumps, fans and compressors— ar...

    03-14
    查看翻譯

  • Microcomb launches a simplified design for powerful lasers based on chips

    Researchers at the University of Rochester have created new micro comb lasers that go beyond previous limitations and have simple designs suitable for various applications. The research results are published in Nature Communications.Optical frequency combs are optical measurement instruments that have revolutionized atomic clocks, spectroscopy, metrology, and other fields. However, the difficulty ...

    2024-05-25
    查看翻譯

  • Bitsensing, a South Korean LiDAR solution provider, successfully raised 180 million yuan in funding

    Recently, Bitsensing, a leading provider of advanced radar solutions in South Korea, announced the successful completion of Series B financing, with a financing amount of up to $25 million (approximately RMB 181.6 million).This major investment is led by a series of well-known venture capital firms and strategic investors, which not only demonstrates Bitsensing's leading position in the radar tech...

    2024-06-27
    查看翻譯

  • The Laser Industry Shines at the Expo, showcasing the country's key weapons and disruptive new products

    The China International Industrial Expo is an important window and economic and trade exchange and cooperation platform for China's industrial sector to the world, as well as a window for the world to understand the current development status of China's manufacturing industry. It is understood that the scale, energy level, and number of new exhibits of this year's Industrial Expo are all the highe...

    2023-09-23
    查看翻譯

  • Progress in Theoretical Research on the Mechanism of Liquid Terahertz Wave Generation by Precision Measurement Institute

    Terahertz waves have significant application value in communication and imaging. The nonlinear interaction between strong field ultrafast laser and matter is one of the important ways to generate terahertz waves. The experimental and theoretical research related to terahertz generation media such as plasma, gas, and crystal is relatively sufficient. However, liquid water is a strong absorbing medi...

    2024-03-22
    查看翻譯