Carbon clusters for absolute mass measurements at ISOLTRAP

The cyclotron frequencies of singly charged carbon clusters C_n ⁺ (n ≥ 2) were measured with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN. The present limit of mass accuracy δm/m = 1.2 ^. 10^-8 and the extent of the mass-dependent systematic shift (δm/m)_sys = 1.7(0.6) ^. 10^-10/u ^. (m - m _ref) of the setup were investigated for the first time. In addition, absolute mass measurements by use of pure clusters of the most abundant carbon isotope ¹²C are now possible at ISOLTRAP. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Present address: CERN, CH-1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland; e-mail: klaus.blaum@cern.ch     

Accurate mass measurements of very short-lived nuclei

Mass measurements of ³⁴Ar, ^73-78Kr, and ^74,76Rb were performed with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. Very accurate Q _EC-values are needed for the investigations of the t-value of 0⁺ → 0⁺ nuclear β-decays used to test the standard model predictions for weak interactions. The necessary accuracy on the Q _EC-value requires the mass of mother and daughter nuclei to be measured with δm/m ⩽ 3 ^. 10^-8. For most of the measured nuclides presented here this has been reached. The ³⁴Ar mass has been measured with a relative accuracy of 1.1 ^. 10^-8. The Q _EC-value of the ³⁴Ar 0⁺ → 0⁺ decay can now be determined with an uncertainty of about 0.01%. Furthermore, ⁷⁴Rb is the shortest-lived nuclide ever investigated in a Penning trap. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: frank.herfurth@cern.ch     

The measurement of the electronic g-factor in hydrogen-like ions --A promising tool for determining fundamental and nuclear constants

We describe a double-Penning-trap experiment suitable for testing QED in strong fields by determining the electronic g-factor of a single hydrogen-like ion in its ground state. Our measurements on ¹²C^{5 +} reach a relative accuracy of 2×10^-9, where the largest uncertainty results from the mass of the electron. Together with equally precise theoretical predictions therefore, it is possible to evaluate a new value for the electron's mass. The possibilities to obtain other fundamental constants and nuclear parameters are lined out. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: t.beier@gsi.de     

ISOLTRAP: An on-line Penning trap for mass spectrometry on short-lived nuclides

ISOLTRAP is a Penning trap mass spectrometer for high-precision mass measurements on short-lived nuclides installed at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE at CERN. The masses of close to 300 radionuclides have been determined up to now. The applicability of Penning trap mass spectrometry to mass measurements of exotic nuclei has been extended considerably at ISOLTRAP by improving and developing this double Penning trap mass spectrometer over the past two decades. The accurate determination of nuclear binding energies far from stability includes nuclei that are produced at rates less than 100 ions/s and with half-lives well below 100ms. The mass-resolving power reaches 10⁷ corresponding to 10keV for medium heavy nuclei and the uncertainty of the resulting mass values has been pushed down to below 10^-8. The article describes technical developments achieved since 1996 and the present performance of ISOLTRAP.     

Evidence for a solid phase of dodecahedral C 20

Evidence is presented for the formation of a solid phase based on the smallest fullerene, C₂₀, in thin diamond-like carbon films deposited by ultraviolet laser ablation from diamond onto nickel substrates at room temperature in the presence of 10^-4 torr of cyclohexane or benzene. Laser desorption mass spectrometry from the films shows the presence of C₂₀, C₂₁ and C₂₂ species, while micro-Raman spectroscopy and electron diffraction from selected particles together with first principle density-functional calculations, indicate a cubic solid with dodecahedral C₂₀ cages as building blocks. Unlike solid C₆₀ and fully protonated C₂₀, which are bound by van der Waals forces, the proposed structure is stabilized by linking of the C₂₀ dodecahedra with bridging carbon atoms at interstitial tetrahedral sites to form a face-centered-cubic lattice with 22 carbon atoms per unit cell. Received 10 October 2002 / Received in final form 24 December 2002 Published online 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: zafar.iqbal@njit.edu     

Instabilities of an electron cloud in a Penning trap

We have measured the storage instabilities of electrons in a Penning trap at low magnetic fields. These measurements are carried out as a function of the trapping voltage, for different magnetic fields. It is seen that these instabilities occur at the same positions when the trapping voltage is expressed as a percentage of the maximum voltage, given by the stability limit. The characteristic frequencies at which these instabilities occur, obey a relation that is given by n _zω _z + n ₊ω ₊ + n _-ω _- = 0, where ω _z, ω ₊ and ω _- are the axial, perturbed cyclotron and the magnetron frequencies of the trapped electrons respectively, and the n's are integers. The reason for these instabilities are attributed to higher order static perturbations in the trapping potential. Received 5 August 2002 / Received in final form 14 October 2002 Published online 17 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Present address: Dept. of Physics, Rampurhat College, Rampurhat, Birbhum, West Bengal, India. RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: werth@mail.uni-mainz.de     

Magnetic oscillations in the 2D network of compensated coupled orbits of the organic metal (BEDT-TTF) 8 Hg 4 Cl 12 (C 6 H 5 Br) 2

Interlayer magnetoresistance and magnetisation of the quasi-two dimensional organic metal (BEDT-TTF)₈Hg₄Cl₁₂(C₆H₅Br)₂ have been investigated in pulsed magnetic fields extending up to 60 T and 33 T, respectively. About fifteen fundamental frequencies, composed of linear combinations of only three basic frequencies, are observed in the oscillatory spectra of the magnetoresistance. The dependencies of the oscillation amplitude on the temperature and on the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field are analyzed in the framework of the conventional two-dimensional Lifshitz-Kosevitch (LK) model. This model is implemented by damping factors which accounts for the magnetic breakthrough occurring between electron and hole orbits yielding conventional Shubnikov-de Haas closed orbits (model of Falicov and Stachowiak) and quantum interferometers. In particular, a quantum interferometer enclosing an area equal to the first Brillouin zone area is evidenced. The LK model consistently accounts for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the oscillation amplitude of this interferometer. On the contrary, although this model formally accounts for almost all of the observed oscillatory components, it fails to give consistent quantitative data in most other cases. Received 4 September 2002 / Received in final form 14 November 2002 Published online 27 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: audouard@insa-tlse.fr RID="b" ID="b"UMR 5830: Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS - Université Paul Sabatier - INSA de Toulouse RID="c" ID="c"UMS 5642: Unité Mixte de Service CNRS - Université Paul Sabatier - INSA de Toulouse     

Electron dynamics in Na and Pt clusters from time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory

We present a method for the numerical investigation of the electron dynamics in small metallic clusters in intense laser fields. We obtain information about collective excitations and relaxation processes in the Na ₉ ⁺ and Pt₃ clusters analyzing the power spectrum of the dipole moment within a mean-field approach. The power spectrum is computed for various laser pulse parameters as well as for the limit of an infinitely short laser pulse. Due to the basis set expansion of the wave function our method is capable to follow the dynamics not only of the whole electron cloud, but of any particular molecular orbital. Received 28 March 2002 / Received in final form 31 May 2002 Published online 24 September 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: pavlyukh@mpi-halle.de     

Mass measurements and evaluation around A = 22

Frequency ratio measurements with different combinations of the singly charged ions from ^{21, 22, 23}Na , ^{22, 24}Mg , and ^{37, 39}K were performed at the on-line Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP, CERN, Geneva. The masses and mass differences were deduced with a relative uncertainty of about or even below one part in 10⁸ for the ions of interest using a least-squares analysis of all measured relations. The results have direct consequences for weak-interaction study as they give additional input to the test of CVC, and for nuclear astrophysics, because they help to establish the minimum observable signal for a NeNa cycle in a nova burst. We report here about the measurements and the detailed evaluation.     

High-spin study of odd- A 49In isotopes beyond the neutron mid-shell

The ^{115, 117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in three reactions induced by heavy ions: ¹²C + ²³⁸U at 90MeV bombarding energy, ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb reaction at 85MeV, and ³¹P + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 152MeV. Their level schemes have been built from gamma-rays detected using the EUROBALL III and IV arrays. High-spin states of ^{117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been identified for the first time. Moreover, isomeric states lying around 2.5MeV have been established in ^{119, 121}In from the delayed coincidences between the fission fragment detector SAPhIR and the gamma array. Most of the observed states can be described by coupling a proton g _9/2 hole to a Sn core, while the intruder band based on an orbital from the π[g _7/2/d _5/2] sub-shells behaves as the ground-state band of neighbouring Cd isotopes. Received: 24 May 2002 / Accepted: 11 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CEA-DIF, DAM/DCRE/SDE/LDN, 91680 Bruyères-le-Chatel, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/Saclay, DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Line shape analysis of two-colour photoassociation spectra on the example of the Cs ground state

Two-photon photoassociation spectra in a Λ-type excitation scheme are analysed under the systematically varied experimental conditions of frequency detunings and laser intensities. Line shape fits are presented as well as the investigation of intensity and detuning dependent line shifts. From both we determine the attained spectroscopic precision, that is corrected for a systematic line shift due to the thermal distribution of atoms in the trap. An energy correction for this effect is given. Information about the feasibility of generating translationally cold molecules in a well defined rotational and vibrational level by the photoassociation process is derived from the analysis. Received 21 May 2002 Published online 15 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Current address e-mail: christian.lisdat@ptb.de RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: pierre.pillet@lac.u-psud.fr     

In-beam spectroscopy of 253, 254No

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy experiments have been performed on the transfermium nuclei ^{253, 254}No using the conversion electron spectrometer SACRED in nearly collinear geometry in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU at the University of Jyv?skyl?. The experimental setup is discussed and the spectra are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. The implications for the ground-state configuration of ²⁵³No are discussed. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rdh@ns.ph.liv.ac.uk RID="b" ID="b"Present address: GANIL, F-14021 Caen, France. RID="c" ID="c"Permanent address: IReS Strasbourg, IN2P3-CNRS, F-67037-Strasbourg, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/DIF DCRE/SDE/LDN F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel. RID="e" ID="e"Present address: Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury WA4 4AD, UK. RID="f" ID="f"Permanent address: IPN Lyon, IN2P3-CNRS, F-69037 Lyon, France.     

Direct mass measurements of exotic nuclei

The present status and recent results from direct mass measurements of exotic nuclei are presented. ISOL, in-flight, and combined facilities provide a wide variety of nuclides far-off stability covering a wide range of half-lives down to the sub-millisecond region. Modern direct mass measurements are carried out using frequency and time-of-flight techniques. The obtained accurate mass data point to nuclear-structure phenomena and serve as a basis for astrophysical and weak-interaction studies. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: c.scheidenberger@gsi.de     

Isomeric states in proton-unbound 187, 189Bi isotopes

Prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy of very neutron-deficient bismuth isotopes ^{187, 189}Bi has been performed using the Recoil Decay Tagging (RTD) method. The isomeric i _13/2 states have been identified and their lifetimes have been measured. The systematics of these long-lived M2 isomers has been extended to the proton-unbound isotopes. The general behaviour of single-proton states is discussed within the systematics and interpreted within the shell-model framework. Received: 2 May 2002 / Accepted: 3 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: wkorten@cea.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: GANIL, Caen, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, P.O. Box 14, FIN-00881 Helsinki. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Pre-equilibrium dipole strength in charge asymmetric peripheral heavy-ion reactions

We report on the results obtained from the study of the ³²S + ⁶⁴Ni and ³²S + ⁵⁸Ni peripheral reactions at incident energies E _lab = 288 MeV and E _lab = 320 MeV, respectively. High-energy γ-rays were detected in an array of 8 seven-pack BaF₂ clusters. Coincidence with complex fragments detected in 12 three-stage telescopes ensured the selection of peripheral reaction events. All of the relevant reaction parameters were kept constant with the exception of the different initial dipole moment caused by the different entrance channel charge asymmetry. While for quasi-elastic events no N/Z effect was observed in the differential γ-ray multiplicities of the two reactions, for deep-inelastic events a larger dipole γ-ray emission occurs during the more N/Z asymmetric reaction. A theoretical interpretation based on a collective Bremsstrahlung analysis of the reaction dynamics is presented. Received: 26 September 2002 / Accepted: 13 November 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: pierroutsakou@na.infn.it RID="b" ID="b"Present address: INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Padova, Italy. Communicated by C. Signorini     

Quasi-free Compton scattering and the polarizabilities of the neutron

Differential cross-sections for quasi-free Compton scattering from the proton and neutron bound in the deuteron have been measured using the Glasgow/Mainz photon tagging spectrometer at the Mainz MAMI accelerator together with the Mainz [48]cm ;SPMOslash; × [64]cm NaI(Tl) photon detector and the G?ttingen SENECA recoil detector. The data cover photon energies ranging from [200]MeV to [400]MeV at θ^LAB _γ = 136.2^°. Liquid deuterium and hydrogen targets allowed direct comparison of free and quasi-free scattering from the proton. The neutron detection efficiency of the SENECA detector was measured via the reaction p(γ,π⁺ n). The “free” proton Compton scattering cross-sections extracted from the bound proton data are in reasonable agreement with those for the free proton which gives confidence in the method to extract the differential cross-section for free scattering from quasi-free data. Differential cross-sections on the free neutron have been extracted and the difference of the electromagnetic polarizabilities of the neutron has been determined to be α_n - β_n = 9.8±3.6(stat)^+2.1 _-1.1(syst)±2.2(model) in units of [10^-4]fm ³. In combination with the polarizability sum α_n + β_n = 15.2±0.5 deduced from photoabsorption data, the neutron electric and magnetic polarizabilities, α_n = 12.5±1.8(stat)^+1.1 _-0.6(syst)±1.1(model) and β_n = 2.7±1.8(stat)^+0.6 _-1.1(syst)±1.1(model) are obtained. The backward spin polarizability of the neutron was determined to be γ⁽ⁿ⁾ _π = (58.6±4.0)×10^-4 fm ⁴. Received: 21 August 2002 / Accepted: 16 October 2002 / Published online: 11 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"Part of the Doctoral Thesis. RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, D-38116 Braunschweig. RID="a" ID="a"Part of the Doctoral Thesis. RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, D-38116 Braunschweig. RID="c" ID="c"Part of the Habilitation Thesis. RID="d" ID="d"e-mail: schumacher@physik2.uni-goettingen.de Communicated by Th. Walcher     

First evidence for triaxial superdeformation in 161Lu and 162Lu

High-spin states in ¹⁶¹Lu and ¹⁶²Lu have been investigated using the GASP γ-ray spectrometer array. Excited states in these nuclei have been populated through the ¹⁰⁰Mo(⁶⁵Cu, xn) reaction at a beam energy of 260 MeV. Four presumably triaxial superdeformed bands, three in ¹⁶²Lu and one in ¹⁶¹Lu, have been observed. This is the first evidence for triaxial superdeformation in the two isotopes. Received: 18 October 2002 / Accepted: 21 November 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: bringel@iskp.uni-bonn.de RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Physik Department, Technische Universit?t München, James Franck Str., D-85748 Garching, Germany. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

High-spin states in the <Superscript>97</Superscript>Tc nucleus

High-spin states in the ⁹⁷Tc nucleus have been studied by in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy with the reaction ⁸²Se(¹⁹F,4nγ) at 68 MeV incident energy. Excited states have been observed up to about 8 MeV excitation and spin 43/2. The observed level scheme is compared with results of shell model calculations. Received: 22 November 2002 / Accepted: 23 December 2002 / Published online: 18 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: bucurescu@tandem.nipne.ro RID="b" ID="b"Present address: INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy. RID="b" ID="b"Present address: INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy. RID="b" ID="b"Present address: INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro, Italy. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Università di Padova, Padova, Italy. Communicated by C. Signorini