Decay of muons generated by laser-induced processes in ultra-dense hydrogen H(0)

Abstract

This work reports identification of muons by their characteristic life-time of 2.20 μs after laser-induction of their precursor mesons, both kaons K± and KL 0 and pions π± in ultra-dense hydrogen H(0). The pair-production signal from scattered muons at a metal converter in front of a photo-multiplier detector is observed with its decay. The observed signal intensity is decreased by a metal beam-flag which intercepts the meson and muon flux to the detector. Using D(0), the observed decay time is (2.23 ± 0.05) μs in agreement with the free muon lifetime of 2.20 μs. This signal is apparently due to the preferential generation of positive muons. Using p(0), the observed decay time is in the range 1–2 μs, thus shorter than the free muon lifetime, as expected when the signal is mainly caused by negative muons which interact with matter by muon capture.