EVIDENCE FOR DISCOVERY OF CHEMICALLY BOUND NEUTRONS

Evidence has been obtained that neutrons form a weak bond with electrons trapped in LiF at 4°K. The chemistry of the resulting n- species has been studied and shows that it decomposes at this temperature with a half-time in LiF of ∼30 sec. The bond energy is probably about 0.1 eV. Removal of the trapped electrons greatly reduces, if not completely destroys, the neutron retention in LiF. © 1969 The American Physical Society.