The photodisintegration of ${\mathrm{Li}}^6$ by bremsstrahlung radiation of 17.3-Mev peak energy was investigated by use of coincidence techniques to detect neutron-proton coincidences and by measurement of the photo-proton energy spectra. The ${\mathrm{Li}}^6(\gamma , n){\mathrm{Li}}^5$ reaction is found to be responsible for 0.58±0.13 of the photoneutron yield measured by Romanowski while the ${\mathrm{Li}}^6(\gamma , p){\mathrm{He}}^5$ reaction contributes 0.31±0.04 of the yield. No angularly correlated neutron-proton coincidences were detected which would support a deuteron-alpha-particle model for the ${\mathrm{Li}}^6(\gamma , np){\mathrm{He}}^4$ reaction; however, the possible existence of this reaction is not eliminated.

• Received 26 October 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.118.217