Enhanced neutron pair transfer and collective excitations in the system 206Pb + 118Sn at barrier energies

At energies below the Coulomb barrier, neutron transfer and Coulomb excitation have been measured in a very heavy asymmetric nuclear system, in ²⁰⁶Pb + ¹¹⁸Sn. These are semi-magic nuclei showing super-fluid properties. Particle-γ coincidence techniques using 5 Euroball Cluster detectors (EB), combined in a set-up with the Heidelberg-Darmstadt NaI Crystal Ball (CB), have been used. Position-sensitive detectors allowed the observation of scattering processes covering angles from 110 up to 150 degrees. The fragments are identified via the known γ-decays of the lowest excited states using the high resolution of EB. Using the unique feature of the set-up with the CB, transfer to well-defined final channels with known quantum numbers is selected using the high-efficiency multiplicity filter of the CB with no second γ-ray, i.e. without feeding. The data are analysed using the semi-classical approach and transfer probabilities are obtained. Coulomb excitation has been analysed using known transition probabilities. The enhancement is deduced for the two-neutron transfer populating the low-lying super-fluid 2⁺ states in ¹²⁰Sn and ¹¹⁶Sn, while the 2n transition remains in the ground state for the ^20NPb nuclei. Large enhancements up to EF ≃ 10³ are observed. This is the first observation of neutron pair transfer enhancement for a heavy nuclear binary system with super-fluid properties with experimentally separated levels. The calculations with microscopic 2-neutron wave functions, with configuration mixing over six shell model configurations and using the coupled reaction channels approach, reproduce well the observed probabilities and the enhancement. Received: 27 August 2002 / Accepted: 9 December 2002 / Published online: 25 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: oertzen@hmi.de Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Selection of cold transfer and enhanced neutron-pair transfer in the 206 Pb + 118 Sn reaction

The neutron transfer in a very heavy asymmetric nuclear system, in ²⁰⁶Pb + ¹¹⁸Sn has been measured using particle- coincidence techniques with position-sensitive detectors, 5 EUROBALL-Cluster detectors (EB) and the Heidelberg-Darmstadt NaI-CRYSTAL BALL (CB). The fragments are identified via the known -decays of the lowest excited states using the high resolution of EB. Using the unique feature of the set-up with the CB, transfer to well-defined final channels with known quantum numbers is selected using the high-efficiency multiplicity filter of the CB with no second -ray, i.e. without feeding. The enhancement in the two-neutron transfer is deduced, for population of the low-lying super-fluid 2 ⁺ states in ¹²⁰Sn and ¹¹⁶Sn, while the 2n-transition remains in the ground state for the recoiling ^20XPb-nuclei. Large enhancements up to EF are observed. This is the first observation of neutron pair-transfer enhancement for a heavy nuclear binary system with superfluid properties with experimentally separated levels.Received: 6 November 2002, Revised: 25 March 2003, Published online: 23 March 2004PACS: 24.10.Eq Coupled-channel and distorted-wave models - 25.70.Hi Transfer reactions     

Cross section of prompt gamma-ray production by fast neutrons on iron and bismuth nuclei

The differential cross sections of γ-rays from the ^nat Fe(n, xγ) and ²⁰⁹Bi(n, xγ) reactions with a neutron energy of 14.1 MeV are unfolded from amplitude spectra using the regularization procedure. The cross section errors are estimated. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical ones obtained within the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model. The sensitivity of the theoretically calculated γ-spectra to characteristics of the excited nuclear states is analyzed.     

Probing the structure of exotic nuclei by transfer reactions

Low energy single nucleon transfer reactions are proposed as a tool to investigate the structure of nuclei far off stability. Experimental concepts and conditions are discussed, in particular high resolution γ-ray spectroscopy after single nucleon pickup reactions. Nuclear structure is described by Skyrme Hartree-Fock calculations including pairing. As representative examples, binding energies, radii and wave functions for Mg and Sn isotopes are calculated. In the neutron deficient Mg isotopes a proton skin is found. At the neutron driplines the Mg and Sn isotopes develop extended neutron skins. The nuclear structure results are used in DWBA and EFR-DWBA transfer calculations. Single nucleon transfer reactions of ^32,36Mg and exotic Sn beams on targets ranging from ²H to ²⁴Mg in inverse kinematics are explored. The one-nucleon transfer cross sections decrease strongly for high-Z targets. An impact parameter analysis shows that the transfer process is selective on the tails of the wave functions. The largest cross sections are obtained for ²H and ⁹Be targets at incident energies of E _lab = 2-5 MeV/u. The energy-momentum dependence is closely related to the special properties of wave functions of weakly bound states. Two-neutron (p,t) stripping reactions are studied for a ⁶He projectile. A strong competition of sequential and direct processes is found at low energies. Received: 1 October 1997 / Revised version: 25 November 1997     

Beta decay of the proton-rich nuclei 102Sn and 104Sn

The β decays of ¹⁰²Sn and ¹⁰⁴Sn were studied by using high-resolution germanium detectors as well as a Total Absorption Spectrometer (TAS). For ¹⁰⁴Sn, with three new β-delayed γ-rays identified, the total Gamow-Teller strength (B_GT) value of 2.7(3) was obtained. For ¹⁰²Sn, the γ-γ coincidence data were collected for the first time, allowing us to considerably extend the decay scheme. This scheme was used to unfold the TAS data and to deduce a B_GT value of 4.2(8) for this decay. This result is compared to shell model predictions, yielding a hindrance factor of 3.6(7) in agreement with those obtained previously for ⁹⁸Cd and ¹⁰⁰In. Together with the latter two, ¹⁰²Sn completes the triplet of Z ⩽ 50, N ≥ 50 nuclei with two proton holes, one proton hole and one neutron particle, and two neutron particles with respect to the doubly magic ¹⁰⁰Sn core.     

Lifetimes of nuclear excited states with neutron gated recoil distance method

A motor driven plunger has been constructed for measuring lifetimes of nuclear excited states in pico second region. An array consisting of six neutron detectors was used to clean up γ-spectra obtained with CS-HPGe detectors. Lifetimes of low excited states in neutron deficient nuclei with low production cross-section e.g.⁸¹Y,⁷⁷Kr and⁷⁸Rb are reported.     

Photodisintegration of Sn isotopes

Yields of (γ, n) reactions on tin isotopes ¹²⁴Sn, ¹¹⁸Sn, ¹¹⁴Sn, and ¹¹²Sn and yields of (γ, p) reactions on ¹¹⁷Sn, ¹¹⁶Sn, and ¹¹²Sn were measured in the present study. The obtained results are compared to those from earlier experiments and theoretical calculations. The yields of reactions with the production of nuclei in isomeric states are presented.     

Measurement of the ground state 2n pickup probability for 28Si+68Zn and its role in sub-barrier fusion enhancement

The ground state and excited state transfer yields for the 2-neutron pickup channel in the ²⁸Si+⁶⁸Zn system have been measured explicitly. The recoil mass separator at the nuclear Science Centre, New Delhi was used for the measurement. A NaI(T1) detector was used for detecting the deexcitation γ’s from the transfer products. The kinematic coincidence technique was employed for the transfer measurement. Simplified coupled channels calculations show that out of all transfer channels the major contribution to the sub-barrier enhancement comes from the ground state 2 neutron pickup channel with a ground state Q-value of+1.83 MeV.     

Gamma spectroscopy with RIBs from RISING to AGATA

Nuclear spectroscopy using radioactive isotope beams requires dedicated set-ups. State-of-the-art Ge arrays recently started to provide valuable γ spectroscopic data. At the SIS/FRS facility at GSI exotic beams at relativistic energies were employed for Coulomb excitation and secondary fragmentation experiments with the fast beam RISING set-up. Shell evolution far off stability, pn-pairing, symmetries and nuclear shapes were studied in nuclei ranging from ³⁶Ca to ¹³⁶Nd. The observation of a I = 27 ħ state demonstrated that high spin states can be reached in massive fragmentation reactions. This and the large sensitivity of relativistic in-beam experiments opens a rich ground for advanced nuclear structure studies. Combining RISING with AGATA γ-tracking detectors and improved particle detection is planned for future experimental investigations.     

Pairing effects in nucleon transfer reactions in the system144Sm+88Sr at 4.7 MeV/u

Proton and neutron transfer populating low-lying states have been studied in the system¹⁴⁴Sm+⁸⁸Sr at an energy below the Coulomb barrier. The experimental cross sections for the single proton transfer are well reproduced by DWBA-calculations using spectroscopic information from light ion reactions. The two-proton transfer appears enhanced relative to the uncorrelated sequential transfer of single protons. The same holds for the transfer of proton pairs, the enhancement is kept for the second pair. This is interpreted as a supercurrent between two superfluid nuclear proton-pair wave functions: more mass and charge is transported per time unit in pairs than by single nucleons. Neutron transfer is observed with large cross sections and is found to contribute to the energy loss observed in the transfer reactions. For mixed proton-neutron transfers the sequential nature of the transfer reactions is established in a similar way as for the two-proton and two-neutron transfer; in the latter case no enhancement is observed.     

A mechanism for excitation of metastable levels by(γ,γ') reactions

The analysis of the cross-section of ⁷⁷Se and ⁸⁷Sr isomeric states excitation in the (γ, γ′) reaction, was carried out using neutron pick-up and stripping reaction results. It allows the shell configurations of the transitions to the activation states to be determined. To check thus obtained conclusions the energies of Jπ=1^- excited states for ⁹⁰Zr and ¹³⁸Ba were calculated, which are in good agreement with the resonance structure at the γ-quanta elastic scattering in the 5 to 10 MeV energy range. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Indication for hyperdeformed cluster states in <Superscript>233</Superscript>Th

An activation technique was used to investigate relative yields of fission products from the reaction ²³²Th(n, f ) for neutron energies between 1.3 and 1.8MeV covering the region around the first hyperdeformed resonances. Intensities of characteristic γ-ray transitions were analyzed to search for changes in the mass distribution for neutron energies corresponding to the resonances and below the resonances. Relative increases in yield between 7 and 23% are observed for A ≈ 100 and 132 in the resonance region around 1.6MeV. It is proposed that the yield enhancement of daughter nuclei of the preformed fragments ¹³²Sn and ¹⁰¹Zr arises from cold fission of a di-cluster configuration. The experimental results support theoretical predictions for the existence of hyperdeformed octupole shapes based on the di-nuclear configuration ¹³²Sn + ¹⁰¹Zr.     

In-beam study of 145Tb

The high-spin states of ¹⁴⁵Tb have been studied in the ¹¹⁸Sn(³²S, 1p4n) reaction at ³²S energies from 161 to 175 MeV using techniques of in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. Measurements of γ-ray excitation functions and γ-γ-t coincidences were performed with 12 BGO(AC)HPGe detectors. Based on the measured results of γ-γ coincidences, γ-ray anisotropies and DCO ratios, a level scheme for ¹⁴⁵Tb was established for the first time. The observed excited states show typical irregular pattern in a spherical nucleus, and the low-lying levels have been interpreted qualitatively with a particle-core coupling. Received: 21 September 2001 / Accepted: 9 November 2001     

Studies on the level structure of 152Nd

The structure of ¹⁵²Nd, produced via β⁻ decay of ¹⁵²Pr, has been investigated using γ-γ coincidence, γ-γ angular correlation, and β-γ-γ triple coincidence measurements. Praseodymium activities were obtained by the thermal neutron fission of ²³⁵U and collected by the on-line isotope separator KUR-ISOL. Nineteen γ-rays and four excited states were newly found. The spins of six exited states were determined and the parities of three of them were also deduced. The spin and parity of the ¹⁵²Pr ground state, which were previously considered as 4⁻, are proposed to be 4⁺ by the present study. Received: 19 October 1998 / Revised version: 22 December 1998     

Study of the Mo-Ba partition in 252Cf spontaneous fission

Measurements of fission fragment yields and neutron multiplicities have been carried out for the Mo-Ba fragment pairs in the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf, using the γ-ray spectroscopy technique to analyze γ-γ-γ coincidence data. Prompt γ -ray multiplicities were also measured as a function of the number of neutrons emitted in the fission process leading to the Mo-Ba partition. We do not observe the enhancement in the yields of events with high neutron emission multiplicity (ν_n > 7) that has been associated to a second fission mode leading to the production of hyperdeformed Ba fragments, as reported in some earlier studies. The average γ-ray multiplicity is found to be rather weakly dependent on the number of neutrons emitted in the fission process. Received: 21 July 1999 / Revised version: 19 November 1999     

Nuclear Λ-transitions and electronic bridges

Nuclear γ-transitions via an electronic-bridge (EB) mechanism are considered theoretically. The relative probabilities for the elastic and inelastic EB deexcitation effect are calculated in the framework of Dirac-Hartree-Slater (DHS) model of atom. The probability of O⁺−O⁺ γ-transitions due to EB mechanism are discussed. The results of calculations are compared with experimental data.     

Spectroscopy of neutron deficient 108Te

The neutron deficient nucleus ¹⁰⁸Te was studied in the ⁵⁴Fe(⁵⁸Ni,2p2n) reaction. A detector system consisting of 4 Euroball cluster detectors, a charged-particle detector ball and a 16 element neutron multiplicity filter was used to detect the emitted particles and γ rays. A new, significantly extended level scheme was constructed on the basis of γγ-coincidence relations. Spin values for the states were determined from angular distribution ratios. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the shell model. Received: 7 September 1998     

Lifetimes of <Superscript>48</Superscript>Ti, <Superscript>52</Superscript>Cr and <Superscript>80</Superscript>Se excited states

Doppler shift attenuation was used to measure the lifetimes of ⁴⁸Ti, ⁵²Cr and ⁸⁰Se nuclei excited states populated in the (n, n′γ) reaction using the neutron beam of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s WWR-K research reactor. The measured data are in good agreement with the latest literature data.     

Enhancement of two-proton transfer in N = 82 nuclei: A study of 1p, 2p and (2p+2n) transfer reactions induced by 16O on 140Ce, 142Nd and 144Sm near the Coulomb barrier

One-proton, two-proton, and α-particle transfer have been studied on nuclei with closed neutron shell N = 82 using ¹⁶O beams of 63 to 66.5 MeV incident energy. Transfer probabilities defined in a semiclassical model are derived for the different reaction channels. For this purpose the Q-value and angular dependence of the cross section are discussed. The two-proton transfer to the ground states shows an enhancement by a factor 20–25 compared to other nuclei, showing the effect of the proton pairing in these nuclei (they correspond to equivalent neutron configurations in ^{108, 110, 112}Sn). The total transfer probability follows a common trend for all three target nuclei as a function of energy above the Coulomb barrier for the proton and two-proton transfer, respectively, but not for the four-nucleon transfer.