Direct production of thermal antineutrons and antiprotons
OwnerDaniel R. Schaefer, James M. Sneadinventors
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Abstract
A method for obtaining free thermal antineutrons within the cage-like structure of a fullerene molecule comprising irradiating the fullerene molecule with free neutrons causing free neutrons to be trapped within the fullerene molecule wherein the trapped neutron oscillates between the neutron and antineutron states. A method for producing antiprotons comprising irradiating a fullerene molecule with free neutrons and trapping the neutrons within the fullerene molecule such that the neutrons oscillate between neutron and antineutron states and in the antineutron state decay and produce antiprotons. A method for producing antiprotonic x-ray cascade spectra.
Claims20
A method for obtaining free thermal antineutrons within the cage-like structure of a fullerene molecule comprising:
- irradiating a fullerene molecule sample containing the fullerene molecule with free thermal neutrons in a high flux location within a nuclear reactor such that the free thermal neutrons are trapped within the fullerene molecule;
- wherein, at room temperature, the trapped free thermal neutrons oscillate between the neutron and antineutron states, which is detectable by the electron-positron annihilation gamma radiation.
A fullerene molecule containing a free thermal antineutron trapped within the cage-like structure of said fullerene molecule.
A method for producing antiprotons comprising:
- irradiating a fullerene molecule with free thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor such that the free thermal neutrons are trapped within the fullerene molecule;
- wherein, at room temperature, the trapped free thermal neutrons oscillate between the neutron and antineutron states and in the antineutron state decay and produce antiprotons.
A method for producing antiprotonic x-ray cascade spectra comprising:
- obtaining a sample of fullerene;
- obtaining a specie capable of producing a photopeak in a gamma spectrum in response to antiprotons;
- irradiating the fullerene sample with free thermal neutrons such that the free thermal neutrons are trapped within the fullerene molecule;
- collecting a first gamma spectrum of the irradiated fullerene;
- mixing a sample of the specie with the irradiated fullerene;
- and followed by collecting second gamma spectra.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.