Search for beta-delayed proton emission from ${}^{11}$Be

Abstract

We report on an attempt to reproduce the observation of $β^-$-delayed proton emission from ${}^{11}$Be through detection of the final state nucleus ${}^{10}$Be with accelerator mass spectrometry. Twelve samples were collected at the ISOLDE facility at CERN at different separator settings, allowing tests of different sources of contamination to be carried out. The observed amounts of ${}^{10}$Be per collected ${}^{11}$Be rule out several contamination sources, but do not agree internally. Formation of BeH molecular ions in the ion source may explain our data, in which case an upper limit of the ${\hat{I}}^2$p branching ratio of $2.2\cdot 10^{-6}$ can be derived.

8 pages, 4 figures