LVIII. The photodisintegration of the deuteron

Summary The photodisintegration of the deuteron has been observed in photographic plates exposed, while wet with heavy water, to the γ-rays arising from the bombardment of fluorine with 1·4 MeV. protons. Two groups of protons, produced by the known γ-ray lines at 6·15 MeV. and 7·01 MeV., have been clearly resolved. It is shown that γ-ray energies of this order of magnitude can be measured with a probable error of 0·05 MeV., and γ-ray lines with an energy difference of 0·6 MeV. can be resolved. Suggestions are made for a further improvement of the technique which should increase the resolving power of the method. The angular distribution of the protons produced by each of the two 7-ray lines has been measured, but statistical uncertainties must be further reduced before any useful comparison with theory can be made.