Evidence for the transfer of negative muons from muonic deuterium to helium atoms

The transfer processes of negative muons from hydrogen or deuterium muonic atoms to /sub z/Y nuclei (where the mu p and mu d systems are in the 1S ground state) are known to occur, in general, with large rates. Possible explanations of this are mentioned and some experimental results on the muon transfer rate from D to He are discussed. The analysis of these results (see Placci et al. (1967)) is updated and it is concluded that, under certain conditions, muon transfer from excited states of the mu d systems to He can be a significant phenomenon. (20 refs).