Search forSi34ions inAm241decay

An experiment has been performed to measure the spontaneous fission branch of ${}_{}{}^{241}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Am}$ and to search for decay events by emission of ${}_{}{}^{34}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$ nuclei. Lexan polycarbonate foils were used for the detection of decay fragments. Tracks produced in the foils by 81 MeV ${}_{}{}^{28}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$ ions from an accelerator and fission fragments from a ${}_{}{}^{248}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Cm}$ source were compared with those produced by particles emitted from a 0.5 mCi ${}_{}{}^{241}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Am}$ source. We identified 33 fission fragments corresponding to a fission/alpha branching ratio of (2.4±0.5)×${10}^{\mathrm{-}12}$, in fair agreement with previous measurements. No ${}_{}{}^{34}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$ tracks were observed which results in an upper limit of 4.2×${10}^{\mathrm{-}13}$ for the ${}_{}{}^{34}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$/alpha ratio at the 90% confidence level. Two theoretical calculations predict values of 4.0×${10}^{\mathrm{-}13}$ and 1.1×${10}^{\mathrm{-}15}$ for this branching.