Low-lying intrinsic energy levels in the nucleus170Ho

The band-head energies of the two-quasiparticle states expected in the doubly odd deformed nucleus¹⁷⁰Ho are calculated for a zero range residual interaction. The results are compared with the available experimental information. It is concluded that the ground state has the Nilsson configuration 6⁺{7/2^?[523↑] _p }+5/2[512↑] _n being the 2.76m isomer whereas the 43s isomer is the 1⁺ ∑=0 state arising from the same configuration and lies at about 100 keV excitation energy in agreement with the experiment. The first excited state in this nucleus is predicted to be the 4^?{3/2⁺[411↑] _p +5/2^?[521↑] _n } state close to the ground state with the corresponding 1^? ∑=0 member expected to appear well above the 1⁺ isomer.     

States of167Ho from the decay of neutron rich nuclide167Dy

Theβ ^?-decay of ₆₆ ¹⁶⁷ Dy produced through the fast neutron reaction¹⁷⁰Er(n, α)¹⁶⁷Dy has been investigated by using several kinds of detectors and a high-capacity two-parameter recording system. The half-life andβ ^?-decay energy of¹⁶⁷Dy were determined to beT _1/2 = 6.20 ± 0.08min andQ _β-=2.35±0.06, respectively. The observed level scheme of ₆₇ ¹⁶⁷ Ho (completely unknown previously) contains 12 states, among them a 6.0±0.1 μsM2 isomer at 259.3 keV. On the basis of theoretical and systematic considerations combined with multipole determinations, the following Nilsson model assignments are proposed for the lowest states of¹⁶⁷Ho: 0 keV (7?/2 [523]), 259.3 keV (3+/2[411]), 319.8 keV (5/2 3+/2[411]), 392.5 keV (1+/2[411]), 410.0 keV (3/2 1+/2[411]), 569.7 keV (3?/2{7?/2[523], 2⁺}). Theβ-decay proceeds mainly to the proposed gamma-vibrational state at 569.7 keV with an anomalously low logft value 5.4, indicating similarity between the microscopic structures of this state and the famous ¦K ₀?2¦ gamma vibration of¹⁶⁵Ho.     

The decay of 161Gd to 161Tb

The level scheme of ¹⁶¹Tb populated by the β-decay of 3.7 min ¹⁶¹Gd has been studied using Ge(Li) detectors as singles and coincidence γ-ray spectrometers. A total of 130 transitions has been observed. An investigation of the Coriolis coupling between the $\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[532↑]}\text{and}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[523↑]}$ bands is presented. Rotational bands previously only observed in charged particle transfer work are discussed. Several additional levels are suggested.     

Low-spin states of153Gd observed in the decay of153Tb

Level structure of the 89-neutron nucleus¹⁵³Gd has been investigated by studying theEC-decay of isotope-separated¹⁵³Tb sources with several semiconductor detectors. In addition to singles gamma and electron spectra,γ-γ ande ^?-γ coincidences were investigated by using Ge(Li) and Si(Li) spectrometers and a high-capacity two-parameter recording system. In all, 191γ-rays are assigned to the decay of the 2.4d¹⁵³Tb. The proposed level scheme of¹⁵³Gd containing most of the observed transitions shows a very high density of low-spin states (45 states below 1.5MeV). Spin and/or parity assignments based mainly on coincidence data and measured transition multipolarities are proposed for a majority of these states. Nilsson model classifications of some levels are discussed. On the basis of logf t values the spin and parity of the ground state of¹⁵³Tb are suggested to be 3/2⁺ or 5/2⁺.     

Study of low-lying states in151Eu via (n,n′γ) reaction

The levels of¹⁵¹Eu have been investigated in the (n,n′γ) reaction using nuclear reactor fast neutrons. The energies, intensities and angular distributions of theγ-rays have been measured with the Ge(Li) spectrometer. Four rotational bands with the following band heads and Nilsson configurations have been identified: ground state band, 5/2⁺ [402]; 21.5 keV, 7/2⁺[404]; 196.5 keV, 3/2⁺[411]; 260.5 keV, 5/2⁺[413]. The low spin states at 332.2 and 336.2 keV have been tentatively assigned to the l/2⁺[411] Nilsson orbital, but 522.8, 580.0 and 587.0 keV states to the 1/2⁺[420] Nilsson orbital. The negative parity levels at 353.7, 522.1 and probably 546.2 keV have been proposed basing on theh _11/2 proton state.     

E1,ΔK=0−Übergänge in deformierten Kernen ungerader Massenzahl

The half lives of the 5/2 5/2^?[523] level at 25.7 keV in ₆₆ ¹⁶¹ Dy and the 5/2 5/2⁺[642] level in ₆₈ ¹⁶³ Er, found in this work to lie at 69.2 keV, have been determined by the delayed coincidence method to be T_1/2=27.8± 1.5 nsec, and T_1/2=8.8± 0.5 nsec, respectively. The following hindrance factors relative to the single particle Weisskopf estimate (F _W and the Nilsson estimate (F_N were obtained: ₆₆ ¹⁶¹ Dy 5/2 5/2^?[523] → 5/2 5/2⁺[642]:F_W=(6.6± 1.3) × 10³, F_N=0.48± 0.10 ₆₈ ¹⁶³ Er 5/2 5/2⁺[642] → 5/2 5/2^?[523]:F_W=(2.4± 0.5)× 10⁴, F_N=1.8 ± 0.4 A systematic difference between transitions in odd proton nuclei and odd neutron nuclei was found: E1, ΔK=0 transitions in odd neutron nuclei have hindrance factors F_N from 2.9 to 0.16, this means, these transitions are in agreement with the predictions of the Nilsson model within a factor of 10. For transitions in odd proton nuclei one has hindrance factors F_N from 75 to 9.9 × 10^?4. It is shown that a small difference between the deformation of the initial and the final state changes the transition probability of both, proton and neutron transitions, considerably.     

The decay of 1.4 min173Er

A 1.4 ± 0.1 min activity which is assigned to β^?-decay of ₆₈ ¹⁷³ Er has been produced with 14–15 MeV neutrons through the reaction¹⁷⁶Yb(n, α)¹⁷³Er. Its decay has been studied with Ge(Li) detectors and several (γ)(γ) as well as (γ)(β) coincidence arrangements. Eight gamma rays with energies 94.2, 116.14, 118.6, 122.40, 192.8, 199.2, 800.8 and 895.2 keV were assigned to the decay of¹⁷³Er. The proposed level scheme of the daughter nuclide ₆₉ ¹⁷³ Tm contains levels at 0, 2.5, 118.6, 124.9, 317.7, 411.9 and 1212.8 keV. The 317.7 keV level is an isomeric state with a measured half-life of 10±3 μs. This 10 μs isomer and the 411.9 keV level are thought to be the band head and 9/2^? rotational member of 7/2^? [523] Nilsson state, respectively. The levels at 0, 2.5, 118.6 and 124.9 keV are interpreted as 1/2⁺, 3/2⁺, 5/2⁺ and 7/2⁺ members of the 1/2⁺ [411] band and the level at 1212.8 keV as the 9/2^? [514] Nilsson state. Some systematic considerations and theoretical transition probability calculations are also included.     

Nuclear levels in166Ho: Evidence for a large configuration mixing

Fifty-six levels in¹⁶⁶Ho have been observed up to an excitation energy of 2,000 keV using the¹⁶⁷Er(t,α)¹⁶⁶Ho reaction with 17.0-MeV tritons. An anomalously small spectroscopic factor for the states in the [411↑±633↑] configuration has been observed, which has been interpreted as evidence for a large amount of configuration mixing with the states in the [523↑±521↑] configuration. Residual interaction calculations with a finite range central force have failed to account for the large configuration mixing observed. New assignments for 29 rotational states have been proposed. An anomalous singlet-triplet splitting is observed in the [404↓±633↑] configuration.     

β-delayed proton decays and spin assignments for 140Tb, 141Dy and 143Dy

The proton-rich isotopes ¹⁴⁰Tb and ¹⁴¹Dy were produced via the fusion evaporation reaction ⁴⁰Ca + ¹⁰⁶Cd. Their β-delayed proton decays were studied by p-γ coincidence in combination with a He-jet tape transport system, and half-lives, proton energy spectra, γ-transitions following the proton emission, as well as β-delayed proton branching ratios to the low-lying states in the grand-daughter nuclei were determined. Comparing the experimental data with statistical model calculations, the ground-state spins of ¹⁴⁰Tb and ¹⁴¹Dy were found to be consistent with 7 and 9/2, respectively. The configuration-constrained nuclear potential energy surfaces (NPES) of ¹⁴⁰Tb and ¹⁴¹Dy were calculated using the Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky method, which suggest the ground-state spins and parities of ¹⁴⁰Tb and ¹⁴¹Dy to be 7⁺ and 9/2^-, respectively. In addition, the configuration-constrained NPES of ¹⁴³Dy were calculated, which predict a 1/2⁺ ground state and a 11/2^- isomer with excitation energy of 198keV. These findings are consistent with our previous experimental data on ¹⁴³Dy reported in Eur. Phys. J. A 16, 347 (2003).     

(EC + β<Superscript>+</Superscript>) decays of the 11/2<Superscript>-</Superscript> isomer and 1/2<Superscript>+</Superscript> ground state of <Superscript>143</Superscript>Dy

The 1/2⁺ ground state and a 11/2^- isomer of very neutron-deficient isotope ¹⁴³Dy were produced by irradiation of an enriched target of ¹⁰⁶Cd with ⁴⁰Ca and studied by using a helium-jet fast tape-transport system in combination with proton-γ, X-γ and γ-γ coincidence measurements. A simple ( EC + β⁺) decay scheme of ^143mDy with a half-life of 3.0(3) s and a tentative ( EC + β⁺) decay scheme of ^143gDy with a half-life of 5.6(10) s are proposed. As a by-product, the 347- and 545-keV γ transitions in ¹³⁸Sm following the β-delayed proton emission of ¹³⁹Gd decay and the 323-keV γ transition in ¹³⁹Eu following the β-delayed proton emission of ¹⁴⁰Tb decay could be observed for the first time. Received: 20 August 2002 / Accepted: 28 October 2002 / Published online: 11 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: xsw@ns.lzb.ac.cn Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Experimental evidence for low-spin members of “upper” bands in156Dy

Study of the energy levels of¹⁵⁶Dy through the¹⁵⁹Tb(p, 4n)¹⁵⁶Dy reaction has revealed the existence of six states with excitation energies between 1.8 and 2.8 MeV and spins between 6 and 12. Some of them can tentatively be assigned as low-spin members of “upper” bands which are thought to be responsible for the backbending phenomenon experimentally observed in the ground-state andβ-vibrational bands of this nucleus. Others could be levels of a negative-parity octupole band.     

States in 163Dy and 169Er populated in the (t,p) reaction

Angular distributions of protons from the ¹⁶¹Dy(t, p)¹⁶³Dy and ¹⁶⁷Er(t, p)¹⁶⁹Er reactions were studied, using 15 MeV and 17 MeV tritons from the McMaster University tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. The reaction products were analyzed with a magnetic spectrograph and detected with nuclear emulsions. Since the ¹⁶¹Dy target ground state is the $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺[642] orbital, a strong L = 0 transition was observed to the $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺[642] bandhead in ¹⁶³Dy, which was previously assigned at 251 keV. Also transitions to the $\text{7}\text{2}$, $\text{9}\text{2}$ and $\text{11}\text{2}$ band members were observed. Similarly, a strong L = 0 transition was observed to the $\text{7}\text{2}$⁺[633] bandhead at 244 keV in ¹⁶⁹Er, with the other band members only weakly populated. The angular distributions to the various members of these two bands can be described when higher-order reaction processes are taken into account. In ¹⁶³Dy, surprisingly strong L = 0 transitions were observed to levels at 1831 keV, 1937 keV and 2053 keV, with strengths of 23%, 30% and 37% of that for the $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺[642] bandhead. In ¹⁶⁹Er, the 905 keV level was populated with an L = 0 transition that had 31% of the strength observed for the strong L = 0 transition to the 244 keV level. The nature of these states is at present not understood.     

Der Zerfall des 2,4-sec100Nb

The nuclide¹⁰⁰Nb was produced by irradiation of enriched¹⁰⁰Mo targets with 14 MeV-neutrons, and its decay properties were investigated employing scintillation and semiconductor spectrometers and coincidence techniques. A half-life of 2.4±0.3 sec and aQ _β-value of 5.8±0.2 MeV were found. From 27 gamma-rays, 20 transitions, representing 95% of the observed gamma-ray intensity, could be placed in a decay scheme comprising 10 excited states of¹⁰⁰Mo.     

Isomeric states in 214Th and 213Th

Isomeric states in ²¹⁴Th and ²¹³Th were identified by means of γ -rays measured in delayed coincidence with the implanted evaporation residues. These were produced in irradiations of ¹⁶⁴Dy with ⁵⁴Cr projectiles and separated in-flight by the velocity filter SHIP. An isomeric state of I ^π = 8⁺ with a half-life of (1.24±0.12) μs was identified in ²¹⁴Th . The configuration π[1h _9/2 ⊗ 2f _7/2] was assigned to this state. An isomeric state with a half-life of (1.4±0.4) μs was observed in ²¹³Th . Tentatively it was assigned to an I ^π = 13/2⁺ state.     

The mass of the nucleus148Dy

Usingγγ coincidences theEC(K)/β ⁺ ratio for theβ decay¹⁴⁸Dy→¹⁴⁸Tb has been determined.¹⁴⁸Dy has been produced through the irradiation of⁹³Nb with 249 MeV⁵⁸Ni ions. The mass of¹⁴⁸Dy has been deduced. With the help of knownQα values the masses of¹⁵²Er,¹⁵⁶Yb,¹⁶⁰Hf and¹⁶⁴W have been obtained. The experimental masses are compared with different current mass formulae.     

The decays of 21.55 min 162gTm and 24.3 s 162Tm (a new isomer)

The decay of the 21.55 min ground state and of the 24.3 s isomeric state of ¹⁶²Tm was investigated with semiconductor detectors. The γ-ray spectrum was investigated with a Compton-suppression Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) arrangement. A Si (Li) detector, mounted in an electron transport solenoid, was used to investigate the conversion electron spectrum. Three-dimensional coincidence measurements were performed with large-volume Ge(Li) detectors. The ¹⁶²Tm ground state has spin-parity 1^? and Nilsson assignment p[411]↓?n[521]↑. An allowed β-transition (log ft ≈ 6.4) was observed to a 2^?, 2 octupole vibrational level at 1572.84 keV. The Q-value determined from positon-gamma coincidence measurements is 4705 ± 70keV. The discrepancy of the experimental K /β⁺ ratio with theoretical predictions might possibly be explained by a large number of unobserved weak γ-rays besides the total of 315 stronger ones observed in this study. The average β-strength function was calculated to be 1.2 × 10^?5. Among the 50 levels observed in the decay, the 2⁺, 4⁺ and 6⁺ members of the ground-state band, the 2⁺, 3⁺ and 4⁺ members of the γ-band, several 0⁺ and 2⁺ members of the K = 0 β-bands and 1^?, 2^? and 3^? octupole vibrational levels were identified. Parameter values Z_γ(0) and Z_γ(2) determining the mixing between the γ-band and the ground-state band, allow no conclusive evidence about unequalness of the intrinsic quadrupole moments of the ground states and the γ-band. The Z(0) parameters, determining the mixing between the β-bands and the ground-state band, and X parameters determining the ratio of E0 to E2 transition probabilities, were deduced. A previously unreported 24.3 sec isomer in ¹⁶²Tm was observed to decay in 10% of the cases by an allowed unhindered (log ft = 4.7) β-ray transition to a level at 1712.20 keV in ¹⁶²Er. The Nilsson configurations assigned to the isomeric and 1712.20 keV levels are p[523]↑ + n[521]↑₅₊ and n[523]↓ + n[521]↑₄₊ respectively. The isomeric level decays in 90% of the cases by an E3 transition (E_IT < 125 keV) to a p[404]↓ ?n[521]↑_2? level at 66.90 keV in ¹⁶²Tm, which decays by an (M1+ < 40 % E2) to the 21.55 min ¹⁶²Tm 1^? ground state.     

Proton states in193Ir and195Ir populated via the (α) reaction

The nuclear structures of¹⁹³Ir and¹⁹⁵Ir have been studied using the¹⁹⁴Pt(t, α) and¹⁹⁶Pt(t, α) reactions. Levels up to ～2MeV in excitation energy were studied with a resolution of ～13keV (FWHM) and spectroscopic strengths were extracted. The low-lying states in¹⁹³Ir have been interpreted in terms of both the Nilsson and the rotation-vibration models including Coriolis, particle-vibration and rotation-vibrational couplings. The previously assigned 3/2⁺ [402], 11/2^? [505], 1/2⁺[400] and 1/2⁺[411] bands were populated and candidates for the 5/2⁺ [402] and 7/2⁺ [404] bandheads were observed. TheK ₀ +2 gamma vibration based on the ground state was populated because it is mixed with the 7/2⁺ [404] state. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference between the stripping and pick-up strengths for the low-lying states in¹⁹³Ir, suggesting that the equilibrium nuclear shape of¹⁹³Ir has large overlaps with the shapes of both¹⁹²Os and¹⁹⁴Pt. The nuclear level structure of¹⁹⁵Ir appears to be similar to those of the lighter iridium isotopes.     

Level structure of170Er observed in the decay of the 2.76 min170Ho

TheΒ ^?-decay of the longer-lived¹⁷⁰Ho isomer produced through the¹⁷⁰Er(n, p)¹⁷⁰Ho reaction has been investigated by using a versastile detector and coincidence equipment. The half-life andΒ ^?-decay energy were determined to beT _1/2=2.76±0.05 min andQ _β =3.85±0.15 MeV, respectively. In addition to the ground state band and some higher energy levels, the proposed level scheme of¹⁷⁰Er contains 11 states between 1.0 and 1.6 MeV (6 new ones), which are connected mutually by previously unknown low-energy transitions. Spin and/or parity assignments based mainly on coincidence data and multipolarity determinations are suggested for most of these states. By using systematic considerations and the nuclear projection model calculations several bands withK≧2 can be assigned tentatively. As a side result the half-life of¹⁶⁹Ho was determined to be 4.7 ±0.2 min.     

Energy levels in159Ho from159Tb(α, 4nγ)159Ho and159Tb(3He, 3nγ)159Ho reactions

The reactions¹⁵⁹Tb(, 4n)¹⁵⁹Ho and¹⁵⁹Tb(³He, 3n)¹⁵⁹Ho have been used to populate states in¹⁵⁹Ho. Gamma-ray spectra in single and coincidence modes have been studied. Assignments have been made for the bands built on the Nilsson states 7/2^–[523], l/2⁺ [411] and l/2^–[541]. The results are discussed in terms of rotational models.     

Zur Gamma- und Röntgenstrahlung von Holmium-164

The photon spectrum in the decay of¹⁶⁴Ho was investigated using a high resolution solid state detector separating theK-X-rays of Dy, Ho and Er. The two γ-rays depopulating the 3⁺ and 2⁺ levels in¹⁶⁴Ho were found to have energies of 56.6 and 37.3 keV. The 91.4 keV radiation of Er from our sample seems to have a non resolved high energy component with about 2.5% intensity. It may be due to the cross-over transition 3⁺→1⁺ or a sum line. The half-life of the isomeric state of¹⁶⁴Ho was found to be 36.7 ± 1 min. The total transition rates between different levels were calculated from the measured photon intensities. The fraction 0.27 found in the branching of thee ^?-capture feeding the 2⁺-state of Dy has nearly the same value as the analog branching in the β^?-decay. Combining the measured complex ground state decay curve and the transition intensities of the isomeric and of the ground state the ground state half-live can be deduced and was found to be (28.1 ± 1.0) min. The corresponding ratio of the ground state and the isomeric state production rates is 2.8₄:1. A ratio of 0.04 was found for the cross section of¹⁶⁵Ho (γ, 3n),¹⁶²Ho and¹⁶⁵Ho (γ,n)¹⁶⁴Ho for a 90 MeV bremsspectrum.