Measurement of angular distribution and polarization of photon-induced fluorescent x rays in thorium and uranium

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Abstract
The angular distribution and polarization of the L-shell fluorescent x rays excited by 59.57-keV photons in Th and U have been measured. It is found that the Lγ group of L x rays is isotropic in spatial distribution and unpolarized but, the Ll and Lα groups are anisotropically distributed and are polarized. Although no anisotropy of the Lβ group is detected, it is found to be slightly polarized. The present results contradict the predictions of the calculations of Cooper and Zare [Atomic Collision Processes (Gordon and Breach, New York, 1969)] that after photoionization the magnetic substates of all subshell vacancy states are equally populated. However, the present results confirm the predictions of Flügge, Mehlhorn, and Schmidt [Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 7 (1972)] that the population distribution of the magnetic substates of all subshell vacancy states with j>1/2 is nonstatistical.

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