Muon and Muonium Chemistry

This book covers all aspects of the chemical behaviour of the muon - a rare, short-lived, elementary particle having a mass intermediate between that of the proton and the electron. Muons provide an exceptional opportunity to investigate basic chemical interactions, simply because they are so short-lived: they can thus be studied using the powerful technique of muon spin rotation, in which the yield, decay rate and identity of the muon in several different states is observed. Although originally of principal interest to nuclear and particle physicists, muons have recently become important as probes in solid-state physics and in all phases of chemistry. This book will be a valuable source of information for research scientists, university teachers and graduate students interested in physical chemistry, chemical physics and the application of nuclear science to the life sciences.

1. Introduction; 2. Historical Perspectives; 3. uSR Techniques; 4. Analysis and interpretation of uSR data; 5. Some comparisons of uSR with other techniques; 6. Muon reactivity and muonium formation; 7. Muonium reactions in gases; 8. Muonium reactions in solution; 9. Free radicals containing muons; 10. Muonic atoms: the chemistry of u-; 11. Concluding chapter; Appendix; Index.

This book covers all aspects of the chemical behaviour of the muon. This book will be a valuable source of information for research scientists, university teachers and graduate students interested in physical chemistry, chemical physics and the application of nuclear science to the life sciences.