Lifetime measurement of the muonic atoms of enriched Si isotopes

Abstract

Background: A muonic atom, composed of a negative muon and an atomic nucleus, undergoes two primary decay processes: muon-electron decay and muon nuclear capture. The branching ratio between these two processes can be determined from the measured lifetime of the muonic atom. While past researches have examined the general trend of muon capture rates across different nuclei, experimental and theoretical investigations into the isotope dependence of the lifetime remain limited. Purpose: The present study aims to measure the lifetimes of the muonic atom of isotopically enriched silicon isotopes. Methods: The experiment was conducted at the muon facility in the Material and Life Science Facility (MLF), J-PARC. A muon beam was stopped in various target materials, including isotopically enriched $^{28,29,30}$Si. The lifetimes of the muonic atoms were measured by detecting decay electrons using a $μ$SR spectrometer. The decay spectra were analyzed by fitting with multi-exponential functions to account for contributions from the target nucleus and surrounding materials. Results: For the first time, the lifetimes of the muonic atom of isotopically enriched $^{28,29,30}$Si were measured. Additionally, seven other targets were studied to validate the experimental method and analysis procedure. The results were compared with theoretical models such as Primakoff, Goulard-Primakoff, and the recently-developed microscopic and evaporation model (MEM). Conclusions: The Primakoff and Goulard-Primakoff formulas, while reproducing certain aspects of the isotope dependence, require further refinement. The comparison with MEM calculations constrains the axial vector ($g_A$) and induced pseudoscalar ($g_P$) coupling constants. The present experiment establishes a method for measuring the lifetimes of the muonic atom and will contribute to future systematic investigations.