Formation of Fragment Ions from CH3Te125 and C2H5Te125 Following the Nuclear Decays of CH3I125 and C2H5I125

The relative abundances of the fragment ions that result respectively from the nuclear decays of CH3I125 and C2H5I125 (I125 undergoes electron capture to give Te125) have been measured with a specially designed mass spectrometer. The data from both studies are similar and give evidence as follows of the highly destructive nature of the decay: (1) Only about 1% of the Te—hydrocarbon ions appear to remain intact in spite of the fact that these ions would be expected to be collected with high efficiency; (2) In both studies a large number of tellurium ions is found with charges as high as 18 and with an average charge of about 9; (3) Finally, in both studies, the singly, doubly, and triply charged carbon ions are found in greater abundance than the hydrocarbon ions. The cause of this extensive ionization and fragmentation is ascribed primarily to a series of Auger processes that occur subsequently to the formation of inner orbital vacancies in Te125 as the result of electron capture and internal conversion in the decay of I125.