Nuclear fission and its fundamentals

Presented by

Priyankan Datta
 Nuclear reaction
Generalized expression of a typical nuclear reaction
𝒃+𝑩→𝑪+𝒄 𝑜𝑟 𝑩 𝑏, 𝑐 𝑪 Where, 𝑩 : Target nucleus

𝟒 𝟏𝟒 𝟏𝟕 𝟏
𝒃 : Projectile particle
𝟐𝑯𝒆 + 𝑵 𝟕 →𝑶 𝟖 + 𝑯 𝟏 𝑵 𝑯𝒆, 𝑯 𝑶
𝑪 : Residual nucleus
𝑐 : Ejectile particle
Reaction probability:
Dependent on projectile energy (why?)
ℎ ℎ
𝝀= ⇒
𝑝 2𝑚𝑬

If, 𝐸 ↓ then, 𝜆 ↑ ≡

If, 𝐸 ↑then, 𝜆 ↓ ≡
 Nuclear reaction
Dependent on the nature of target (why?)
Concept of cross section (𝜎) : Measures the probability of a particular reaction
Measured in barn (1 barn = 10-24 cm2)
 Nuclear reaction

Reaction rate (RR):

∝ Intensity or Flux of projectile beam (𝜙 = 𝑛𝑉)

∝ Nuclei density in the target (𝑁)
∝ Area of the target (𝐴)
∝ Thickness of the target (x)
RR = 𝝈𝝓𝑵𝑨𝒙
RR/unit volume ⇒ 𝝈𝝓𝑵
RR/unit volume ⇒ 𝚺𝝓

Dimension of microscopic cross section (𝜎)

⇒ [T]-1 = 𝝈 [L]-2 [T]-1 [L]-3 [L]2 [L]
⇒ [L]2
Dimension of macroscopic cross section (𝚺 = 𝝈𝑵)
⇒ [L]2 [L]-3
⇒ [L]-1
 Concept of Nuclear Binding Energy

Mass of 1H2 Nucleus = Mass of its constituents = 𝒎𝒑 + 𝒎𝒏

However, in reality ⇒ m(1H2)nucleus< 𝒎𝒑 + 𝒎𝒏 (Why?)

Actually, m(1H2)nucleus= 𝒎𝒑 + 𝒎𝒏 − Δm [This ΔmC2 = B.Enucleus]

For 1H2 Nucleus :

B.Enucleus = [mat(1H1) + 𝒎𝒏 − mat(1H2)] C2
~ [1.00784 + 1.008665 −2.01410] amu ~ 2.2 MeV
 Neutron induced fission reaction
Fission mechanism (Bohr-Wheeler theory)

➢ Neutron energy (Binding energy + K.E) gets deposited into target nucleus
➢ Compound nucleus formed at excited state
➢ During energy redistribution, interplay between nuclear force and coulomb force
drives the fate
➢ Overcome of barrier energy leads to fission
 Neutron induced fission reaction for U-235

Generalized expression of nuclear fission: 𝑿 + 𝟏𝟎𝒏 → 𝑪 ∗ → 𝒀 + 𝒁 + μ 𝟏𝟎𝒏 + 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚

∗
𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏 → 𝑼 𝟗𝟐 → 𝑩𝒂 𝟏𝟑𝟗 𝟗𝟒 𝟏
𝟓𝟔 + 𝑲𝒓 𝟑𝟔 + 𝟑 𝟎𝒏 + 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚
∗
85% 𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏 → 𝑼 𝟗𝟐 → 𝑿e 𝟏𝟒𝟎 𝟗𝟒 𝟏
𝟓𝟒 + 𝑺𝒓 𝟑𝟖 + 𝟐 𝟎𝒏 + 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚
probable
∗
𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏 → 𝑼 𝟗𝟐 → Cs 𝟏𝟒𝟏 𝟗𝟑 𝟏
𝟓𝟓 + 𝑹𝒃 𝟑𝟕 + 𝟐 𝟎𝒏 + 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚
∗
𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏 → 𝑼 𝟗𝟐 → I 𝟏𝟑𝟕 𝟗𝟕 𝟏
𝟓𝟑 + 𝒀 𝟑𝟗 + 𝟐 𝟎𝒏 + 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚

∗
15% 𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏 → 𝑼 𝟗𝟐 → 𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟔
𝟗𝟐 +𝜸
probable
Rough energy estimation in fission:
Mass defect (Δm):
For U-235 isotope: m(𝑼 𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏 𝟏𝟑𝟗 𝟗𝟒 𝟏
𝟗𝟐 + 𝟎𝒏) − m(𝑩𝒂 𝟓𝟔 + 𝑲𝒓 𝟑𝟔 + 𝟑 𝟎𝒏)
𝝈𝒇 = 𝟓𝟖𝟓 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒏 ≈ 0.1835 amu
𝝈𝒄 = 𝟗𝟗 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒏 ≈ 171 MeV
Avg. Energy release in fission ~ 200 MeV
 Fission type: Asymmetric or Symmetric ?

B.E of parent nucleus (BE0) = E0 A

A
B.E of higher mass number fragment (BE1) = (E1 −𝛿)( + a)
2
A
B.E of higher mass number fragment (BE2) = (E1 +𝛿)( − a)
2
Change in B.E during fission = (BE1+ BE2)- BE0 ⇒ (𝐄𝟏 −𝐄𝟎 )𝐀 − 𝟐𝐚𝛅
Fission type: Asymmetric or Symmetric ?

𝚫 𝐁𝐄 = (𝐄𝟏 − 𝐄𝟎 )𝐀 − 𝟐𝐚𝛅

If, 𝒂 = 0 ⇒ Symmetric fission

If, 𝒂 ≠ 0 ⇒ Asymmetric fission

Everything wants to attain minimum energy state

Then why asymmetric fission is more probable?

 Fission type: Asymmetric or Symmetric ?

Let,
𝑄1 , 𝑄2 are charge of fission fragments
From conservation of charge in any reaction one can write:
𝑄1 + 𝑄2 = 𝑄 1
Coulombic potential energy
𝑘𝑄1 𝑄2
𝑉= (2)
𝑟
For any fixed distance r, for which values of the charge distribution, 𝑽 will be maximum ?
From (1) and (2),

𝑘𝑄1 (𝑄 − 𝑄1 ) 𝒅𝑽
𝑉= ⇒ = 𝟎 ⇒ 𝑸 𝟏 = 𝑸𝟐
𝑟 𝒅𝑸𝟏
Existing of maxima is satisfied by the following condition
𝒅𝟐 𝑽
<𝟎
𝒅𝑸𝟐𝟏
Fission type: Asymmetric or Symmetric ?

If 𝑸𝟏 = 𝑸𝟐
Height of the potential energy barrier increases

Leads to asymmetric fission for low energy neutrons

For symmetric fission: Energy of projectile neutron should increase

 Future work plan and contribution to SNSA

➢ Presently working as a Research Assistant at University College London (UCL)

Thank You