Phys.Rev. C 98, 024617 (2018)

A.J.Mayer, M.Wieser, M.Alanssari, D.Frekers, W.Matthews, J.Dilling, R.I.Thompson

Isotope abundance measurement of the half-life of the ββ-decaying nucleus ⁹⁶Zr from a 2.68 Gyr zircon sample

RADIOACTIVITY ⁹⁶Zr, ⁹⁶Nb(β^-); ⁹⁶Zr(2β^-); measured Mo isotopic composition of zircon sample using Thermo Scientific Neptune multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) containing nine Faraday cups, a secondary-electron multiplier, and multi-ion counting (MIC) detectors. Chemical ion-exchange separation of Mo from Zr, Fe, and other elements in zircon reference material; deduced half-life of decay of ⁹⁶Zr by applying modern isotope-geochemical and chemical separation techniques; estimated lower limit of half-life for β^- decay mode, using previously measured half-life for 2νββ decay mode.

doi: 10.1103/PhysRevC.98.024617