The measurement of internal conversion electrons of selected nuclei: A physics undergraduate laboratory experience

Thin sources are now commercially available for a wide variety of isotopes that have measurable internal conversion coefficients. The authors have used standard surface barrier detectors, NIM electronics, and a personal computer analyzer to measure conversion electrons from a few of these sources. Conversion electrons energy and intensity were measured for 113Sn, 133Ba, 137Cs, and 207Bi. From the measured spectra the innershell binding energies of the K ampersand L Shell electrons from the daughter nuclei were determined and compared to theory. The relative conversion coefficients ak/aL and the K/L ration were also measured. The spin and parity change of the transitions will also be assigned based on the selection rules of the transitions