Research Overview

The Nuclear Science Research Group conducts radio-chemical and nuclear physics research in several areas:

Experiments with heavy ions at bombarding energies of tens of MeV per nucleon are performed at international accelerator laboratories. Theoretical analysis focuses on nucleon transport, the thermodynamics of hot, finite nuclei, and their decay by cluster emission and fission-like processes.  

The group has developed a novel experimental platform at the UR Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), employing laser induced ion acceleration for experiments studying direct transfer and fusion-type reactions for light nuclei. The effect of nuclear cluster structure on the reaction mechanism is of specific interest. New scientific opportunities are explored with the ultra-bright neutron beam produced by inertial-confinement fusion (ICF) at the Omega laser. The ICF platform is also used in studies of reactions relevant for nuclear astrophysics and fusion energy R&D.

In collaboration with LLE, the group’s nuclear & radiation chemistry program studies tritium adsorption on metal surfaces and its diffusion into bulk metal lattices. Tritium is generated in nuclear reactors, used as fuel in fusion reactors, and has industrial applications for a future “hydrogen economy.” Several current experiments measure tritium inventory of metal surfaces and lattices employing methods of thermal desorption and plasma ion sputtering.

Research Interests

• Dynamics of Complex Nuclear Reactions at intermediate and high energies

Selected Publications

• Nuclear Particle Correlations and Cluster Physics, W. U. Schröder, Editor, World Scientific Publishing Co, Singapore, 2016, 400 pages (in press).
• "Nuclear science experiments with a bright neutron source from fusionreactions on the OMEGA Laser System," by C.J. Forrest,, J.P. Knauer, W. U. Schröder, V.Yu. Glebov, P.B. Radha, S.P. Regan,T.C. Sangster, M. Sickles, C. Stoeckl, J. Szczepanski, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 888, 169–176, 2018.
• "Partitioning of tritium between surface and bulk of 316 stainless steel Surfaces at  room temperature," by M. D. Sharpe, C. Fagan, W.T. Shmayda, and W. U. Schröder, Fusion Enegineering and Design, Vol. 130, 76-79, 2018.
• "Tritium retention in hexavalent chromate- conversion–coated aluminum alloy," by C. Fagan, M.D Sharpe, W. T. Shmayda, and W. U. Schröder, DOE/NA/1944-1427, LLE- Review 155, 138-142 (2018) and Fusion Science and Technology, DOI:10.1080/15361055.2019.1610308, 1, 2019.
• "A Platform For Nuclear Physics Experiments With Laser Accelerated Light Ions,"  by C. Stoeckl, A. Schwemmlein,  W. U. Schröder, C. J. Forrest, V. Yu. Glebov,  S. Regan, T.C. Sangster,  Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research,  B 453, 41-49, 2019.
• "Deuteron breakup induced by 14-MeV neutrons from inertial confinement fusion," by C. J. Forrest, A. Deltuva, W. U. Schröder, M. Gatu-Johnson, A. Voinov, J. P. Knauer, E.M. Campbell, G. Collins, P. B. Radha, V. Yu. Glebov, S. P. Regan, T.C. Sangster, and C. Stoeckl, Physical Review C 100, 034001, 2019.
• "A Thin Alumina Film as a Tritium Adsorptiom Inhibitor for Stainless Steel 316," C. Fagan, M. Sharpe, W. T. Shmayda, W. U. Schröder, Fusion Science and Technology, 76:4, 424-429, 2020.
• "First Demonstration of a Triton Beam Using Target Normal Sheath Acceleration," by A. K. Schwemmlein, C. Stoeckl, C. J. Forrest, W. T. Shmayda, and W. U. Schröder, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 522, 27-31, 2022.
• "'Necklace' Cluster Fragmentation of the Dinuclear System  in Dissipative Reactions" S. O. Nyibule, M. J. Quinlan, E. Henry, H. Singh, I. Pawelczak, J. Tõke, W. U. Schröder, L. Auditore, G. Cardella, M.B. Chatterjee, E. De Filippo, G. Lanzalone, C. Maiolino, A. Pagano, M. Papa, S. Pirrone, G. Politi, F. Rizzo, P. Russotto, A. Trifiro’, G. Verde, Report UR-NCUR 16-033, 2016 Inv. Paper, Nucl. Part. Correl. Cluster Phys., WSPC, Singapore, in press.
• "Tritium Migration to the Surfaces of Aluminum 6061, Oxygen‑Free, High-Conductivity Copper, and Stainless-Steel 316," by M. Sharpe, W. T. Shmayda, A.M. Boyce, R. Shea, B. Petroski and W. U. Schröder, University of Rochester, LLE Review Vol. 141, 62-75 (2015) Fusion Science and Technology 70, 97–111, 2016.
• "A New Prompt Heavy-Ion Induced Fission Mode," by W. U. Schröder. Inv. Article, Int. Conf. 75 Years Fission, Mumbai, India, May 2014. Pramana, Journal for Physics Vol. 85, pp. 227-238, 2015.
• "Dependence of Tritium Release on Temperature and Water Vapor from Stainless Steel," by W. T. Shmayda, M. Sharpe, A.M. Boyce, R. Shea, B. Petroski and W. U. Schröder, Fusion Science and Technology 68, 766, 2015.
• "Evidence for a Novel Reaction Mechanism of a Prompt Shock-InducedFission Following the Fusion of 78Kr and 40Ca Nuclei at E/A =10 MeV," by  E. Henry, J. Tõke, S. Nyibule, M. Quinlan, W.U. Schröder and the ISODEC Collaboration, Report UR-NCUR 14-032, 2016. arXiv:1404.3758v1 [nucl-ex], 14 Apr 2014. https://arxiv.org/abs/1404.3758.
• "Digital Gamma-Neutron Discrimination with Organic Plastic Scintillator EJ 299-33 ," by S. Nyibule, E. Henry, J. Tõke, W. Skulski, and W. U. Schröder. Progr. Physics 10, 163, 2014.
• "Birks Scaling of the particle Light Output Functions for the EJ 299-33 Plastic Scintillator," by S. Nyibule, E. Henry, W. U. Schröder, J. Tõke, and the CECIL Collaboration, Report UR-NCUR 13-031, 2013. Nuclear Instruments and Methods for Physics Research A 768, 141-144, 2014.
• "Spinodal Vaporization– a Critical and Imposing Decay Mode of Highly Excited Nuclear Systems," J. Tõke, and W.U. Schröder, Report UR-NCUR 13-030, 2013, Physics Letters B 734, 364, 2014.
• "Surface Boiling-An Obvious But Like No Other Decay Mode of Highly Excited Atomic Nuclei," J. Tõke, Yadernaya Phisica and Energy (English) 14 No. 2, 2013.
• "Radioluminescent Characteristics of the EJ 299-33 Plastic Scintillator," S. Nyibule, E. Henry, W. U. Schröder, J. Tõke, and the CECIL Collaboration, Report UR-NCUR 13-031, 2013 Nuclear Instruments and Methods for Physics ResearchA 728, 36, 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.06.020.
• "Intermediate Mass Fragment Emission and Iso-scaling in Dissipative Ca+Sn Reactions at 45 A MeV," H. Singh, M. J. Quinlan, J. Tõke, I. Pawelczak, E. Henry, W. U. Schröder and the ISOCHIM Collaboration. Proc. Intern. Conf. Recent Trends in Nucl. Phys-2012, Chitkara Univ. (peer revd.) AIP Conf. Proc., 1524, 252, 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4801726.
• "Decay modes of the systems formed in the reactions 78Kr+40Ca and 86Kr+48Ca." ISODEC Collaboration: M. La Commara, S. Pirrone, G. Politi, J.P. Wieleczko, G. Ademard, E. De Filippo, M. Vigilante, F. Amorini6, L. Auditore, C. Beck, I. Berceanu, E. Bonnet, B. Borderie, G. Cardella, A. Chbihi, M. Colonna, A. D’Onofrio, J. D. Frankland, E. Geraci, E. Henry, E. La Guidara, G. Lanzalone, P. Lautesse, D. Lebhertz, N. Le Neindre, I. Lombardo, D. Loria, K. Mazurek, A. Pagano, M. Papa, E. Piasecki, F. Porto, M. Quinlan, F. Rizzo, E. Rosato, P. Russotto, W. U. Schröder, G. Spadaccini, A. Trifir`o, J. Tõke, M. Trimarchi, and G. Verde3. EPJ Web of Conferences 31, 00022, 2012. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20123100022.
• "Isoscaling in dissipative projectile breakup," H. Singh, M. J. Quinlan, J. Tõke, I. Pawelczak, E. Henry, W. U. Schröder, F. Amorini, A. Anzalone, C. Maiolino, L. Auditore, D. Loria, A. Trifiro, M. Trimarchı, G. Cardella, E. De Filippo, A. Pagano, M.B. Chatterjee, S. Cavallaro, E. Geraci, M. Papa, S. Pirrone, G. Verde, A. Grzeszczuk, P. Guazzoni, L. Zetta, E. La Guidara, G. Lanzalone, S. Lo Nigro, G. Politi, D. Loria, F. Porto, F. Rizzo, P. Russotto, M. Vigilante. Proc. Intern. Workshop Multifragmentation and Related Topics, Caen 2011. Report UR-NCUR 11-27. EPJ Web of Conferences 2012, 31, 14.
• Pirrone, S., Politi, G., La Commara, M., Wieleczko, J. P., Ademard, G., De Filippo, E., Vigilante, M., Amorini, F., Auditore, L., Beck, C., Berceanu, I., Bonnet, E., Borderie, B., Cardella, G., Chbihi, A., Colonna, M., D’Onofrio, A., Frankland, J. D., Geraci, E., Henry, E., La Guidara, E., Lanzalone, G., Lautesse, P., Lebhertz, D., Le Neindre, N., Lombardo, I., Loria, D., Mazurek, K., Pagano, A., Papa, M., Piasecki, E., Porto, F., Quinlan, M., Rizzo, F., Rosato E., Russotto, P., Schröder, W., Spadaccini, G., Trifirò, A., Toke, J., Trimarchi M., Verde, G. "ISODEC Experiment: Study and Comparison of the Decay Mode of 78Kr+40Ca and 86Kr+48Ca systems at 10 AMeV," EPJ Web of Conferences 2011, 17, 16010.
• Tõke J. and Schröder, W. U. "Surface Boiling – a New Type of Instability of Highly Excited Atomic Nuclei," Report UR-NCUR 2010, 10-26.2, arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/1207.3828.
• PaweŁczak, I. A., Tõke, J., Henry, E., Quinlan, M., Singh, H., Schröder, W. U. "NSTAR -A Capture Gated Plastic Neutron Detector," Nucl. Instr. and Meth. in Phys. Res. A. 2011, 629, 230-238.