Decay Processes
Isomers decay to lower energy states of the nuclide through two isomeric transitions:
- γ (gamma) emission (emission of a high-energy photon)
- internal conversion (the energy is used to ionize the atom)
Isomers may also decay into other elements, though the rate of decay may differ between isomers. For example, 177mLu beta decays to 177Hf with half-life 160.4 d, or can undergo internal transition to 177Lu with half-life 160.4 d, then beta decays to 177Hf with half-life 6.68 d.
An isomeric transition is a radioactive decay process that involves emission of a gamma ray from an atom where the nucleus is in an excited metastable state, referred to in its excited state, as a nuclear isomer.
The emission of a gamma ray from an excited nuclear state allows the nucleus to lose energy and reach a lower energy state, sometimes its ground state. In certain cases, the excited nuclear state following a nuclear reaction or other type of radioactive decay, has a half life that is more than 100 to 1000 times longer than the average 10−12 seconds, and this excited state is referred to as a metastable nuclear excited state. Some nuclei are able to stay in this metastable excited state for minutes, hours, days, or occasionally far longer, before undergoing gamma decay, in which they emit a gamma ray.
The process of isomeric transition (that is, the gamma decay of nuclear isomers), is therefore similar to any gamma emission from any excited nuclear state, but differs in that it involves excited metastable states of nuclei with longer half lives. These states are created, as in all nuclei that undergo gamma radioactive decay, following the emission of an alpha, beta particle, or occasionally other types of particles that leave the nucleus in an excited state.
The gamma ray may transfer its energy directly to one of the most tightly bound electrons causing that electron to be ejected from the atom, a process termed the photoelectric effect. This should not be confused with the internal conversion process, in which no gamma ray photon is produced as an intermediate particle.
Read more about this topic: Nuclear Isomer
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