Identification of the neutron-rich nuclides /sup 147; 148/Ba and half- life determination of the heavy isotopes of Rb, Sr, Y, Cs, Ba and La

The neutron nuclides /sup 147; 148/Ba were produced in the thermal neutron induced fission of /sup 235/U. A new surface ionization integrated target ion source operating at temperatures in the region of 1800 degrees C permits the measurement of half-lives of isotopes down to about 0.1 sec due to the very fast release of atoms from the target. Isotopes of Rb, Sr, Cs, and Ba were separated by positive surface ionization and their half-lives measured using beta activity detected by a silicon surface barrier detector with a depletion depth of 300 mu . The isotopes /sup 147/Ba and /sup 148/Ba were identified for the first time and their half-lives were found to be 0.72+or-0.07 sec and 0.47+or-0.20 sec, respectively. (0 refs).