Measurement of the 145Sm half-life

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109978Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Measured half-life of 145Sm by reference source method on a HPGe detector.

  • Used count ratio of 61.2 keV (145Sm) with reference peaks of 67.9 and 78.3 keV (44Ti).

  • Result T1/2(145Sm)=345 (16) d is consistent with recommended value of 340 (3) d.

  • Old experiments and data analysis are insufficiently documented.

Abstract

The half-life of 145Sm has been measured by means of the reference source method with a HPGe detector. The long-lived radionuclide 44Ti was mixed into the source for reference. The time-dependency of the 145Sm/44Ti activity ratio was followed by assessing the count-rate ratio of their characteristic gamma-ray emissions at 61.2 keV (145Sm) and 67.9/78.3 keV (44Ti) in spectra recorded over periods of typically one day. In total, 220 measurements were performed over a period of 384 days or about one half-life period. The experiment and ensuing uncertainty budget are discussed in detail. Different error propagation is applied for random uncertainties, autocorrelated structures in the fit residuals, and potential systematic errors. The result for the 145Sm half-life, 345 (16) d, is compatible with the scarce literature values, however the experimental details of the old measurements were barely documented.

Keywords

Half-life
Uncertainty
145Sm
Nuclear data
Brachytherapy

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