hey did you figure out a way to do this? i am unable to find any literature on this on the internet :(mnemonical said:Hello, I need to create a fermi-kurie plot for 11C but my data is in terms of dN/dE as a function of T_e (energy). Any tips on how to get started on this?
A Fermi-Kurie plot is a graphical representation used in nuclear physics to analyze beta decay. It plots the square root of the decay rate divided by the phase-space factor and the Fermi function against the beta particle energy. This plot helps in determining the endpoint energy of the beta spectrum and the nature of the beta decay transition, such as allowed or forbidden transitions.
To construct a Fermi-Kurie plot, you need to measure the beta particle energy spectrum from a beta decay source. The steps involve calculating the decay rate at different energies, correcting for the phase-space factor and Fermi function, and then plotting the square root of the corrected decay rate against the beta particle energy. The resulting plot should ideally be a straight line for allowed transitions.
From a Fermi-Kurie plot, you can extract the endpoint energy of the beta spectrum, which corresponds to the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted beta particles. This information is crucial for determining the Q-value of the beta decay. Additionally, the shape of the plot can provide insights into the type of beta decay transition and the nuclear matrix elements involved.
Common sources of error in creating a Fermi-Kurie plot include inaccuracies in the energy calibration of the beta particle detector, statistical uncertainties in the measured decay rates, and incorrect corrections for the phase-space factor and Fermi function. Additionally, background radiation and detector efficiency can also introduce errors.
Deviations from linearity in a Fermi-Kurie plot can indicate several things. For allowed transitions, the plot should be linear, and deviations may suggest experimental errors or the presence of forbidden transitions. For forbidden transitions, the plot may inherently be non-linear due to additional factors in the decay process. Analyzing these deviations helps in understanding the nature of the nuclear transition and refining theoretical models.