The 110Pd, 116Cd(p,p'γ) reactions

The possibility of extending our knowledge about higher-energy collective-type states among the vibrational nuclei by observing γ-rays from states excited by inelastically scattered protons has been examined. Gamma rays from ¹¹⁰Pd and ¹¹⁶Cd were detected in coincidence with inelastically scattered protons; the incident protons had energies of 12 and 13 MeV. Gamma rays, most of them previously unreported, were observed from 17 levels in ¹¹⁰Pd and 14 levels in ¹¹⁶Cd below ≈ 2.5 MeV. The results are compared to predictions of a phonon- model interpretation of the levels. Evidence is shown for the existence of the three-quadrupole phonon quintet in ¹¹⁰Pd.     

Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay to Excited 0+ States Mediated by Light Majorana Neutrinos

The neutrinoless double-beta decay (0 decay) to the first excited 0⁺ collective final state is examined for A = 76, 82, 100 and 136 nuclei by assuming light Majorana neutrino exchange mechanism. Realistic calculations of nuclear matrix elements are performed within the renormalized Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation. Transitions to the first excited two-quadrupole phonon 0⁺ state are described within a boson expansion formalism. It is found that the ¹⁰⁰Mo is a good candidate for experimental study of the 0 decay to excited 0⁺ state due to small suppression of this transition relative to the transition to the ground state.     

Beta processes in a high-temperature field and nuclear multibeta decays

Sources of the temperature dependence of rates of nuclear beta processes in matter of massive stars are systematized. Electron and positron beta decays and electron capture (K capture and the capture of unbound electrons) fromexcited nuclear states (thermal decays) are considered along with the photobeta decays from ground and excited nuclear states. The possible quantum degeneracy of an electron gas in matter and the degree of ionization of an atomic K shell in a high-temperature field are taken into account. For a number of multidecay odd-nuclei, the temperature dependences of the ratios of the total rates of their β ^? decays to the sum of the total rates over all of decay modes for the same nuclei are calculated in the range of nuclear temperature from 2 to 3 × 10⁹ K. It is shown that the deviation of this ratio from the experimental value obtained at “normal” temperature may be quite sizable. This circumstance should be taken into account in models that consider the problem of synthesis of nuclei in matter of massive stars.     

Evolution of the giant dipole resonance in excited 120Sn and 208Pb nuclei populated by inelastic alpha scattering

The evolution of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) in ¹²⁰Sn and ²⁰⁸Pb nuclei at excitation energies in the range of 30–130 MeV and 40–110 MeV, respectively, were studied by measuring high energy γ rays from the decay of the resonance. The excited states were populated by inelastic scattering of α particles at beam energies of 40 and 50 MeV/nucleon for ¹²⁰Sn and 40 MeV/nucleon for ²⁰⁸Pb. A systematic increase of the resonance width with increasing excitation energy was observed for both nuclei. The observed width evolution was compared to calculations employing a model that adiabatically couples the collective excitation to the nuclear shape, and to a model based on the collisional damping of nucleons. The adiabatic coupling model described the width evolution in both nuclei well, whereas the collisional damping calculation could describe the width evolution only in ²⁰⁸Pb. Light-particle inelastic scattering populates low angular momentum states in the target nucleus. The observed width increase is therefore interpreted to be predominantly due to fluctuations in the nuclear shape induced by temperature. This interpretation is consistent with the adiabatic model calculations and with recent angular momentum-gated measurements of the GDR in excited Sn isotopes.     

First results for the measurement of double-electron capture of 106Cd in the experiment TGV II

Present status of the experiment TGV II which is devoted to the measurement of double-beta decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd is given. The low background spectrometer TGV II is installed in the Modane Underground Laboratory and has been running from February 2005 with approx 10 grams of ¹⁰⁶Cd enriched at 75%. After an analysis of 3736 hours of experimental data the new improved half-life limit for 2νEC/EC decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd (0 _g.s. ⁺ → 0 _g.s. ⁺ ) is given as T ₁ ^2/2ν > 4.8 × 10¹⁹ years (90% CL). The search for 2νEC/EC decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd allows to determine the limits of the half-lives T ₁ ^2/2ν (0 _g.s. ⁺ → 2 ₁ ⁺ ) > 3.9 × 10¹⁹ years (90% CL) and T ₁ ^2/2ν (0 _g.s. ⁺ → 0 ₁ ⁺ ) > 5.8 × 10¹⁹ years (90% CL). Presented by I. Štekl at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’05), Corfu, Greece, September 26–29, 2005.     

The binary and ternary fission of thorium,lead and platinum induced by 12.2 GeV protons

We have investigated the decay of^123g+mIn to excited states of¹²³Sn.¹²³In was produced by the¹²⁴Sn(y,p)¹²³In reaction on an enriched SnO₂ target. The isomeric transition to the¹²³In ground state was not observed. In the beta decay of^123m In excited states at 24, 150.9, 920.5, 1194, 2621, 3151, 3256 and 3306 keV in¹²³Sn withJπ values 3/2⁺, 1/2⁺, (5/2⁺), 5/2⁺, 1/2⁺, (1/2⁺, 3/2⁺), 3/2⁺ and (l/2⁺, 3/2⁺), are fed. In the β decay of the¹²¹In ground state only the 7/2⁺ level at 1154 keV in¹²³Sn is observed.     

The (18O,16O) reaction on even tin isotopes

The two-neutron transfer reaction^ASn(¹⁸O,¹⁶O)^A+2Sn has been measured for the isotopes A=112, 116, 118, 120, 122 and 124 at bombarding energies of 57 and 60 MeV together with the elastic scattering. Angular distributions have been analysed for the transitions to the ground state and to the first excited 2⁺ state. The observed ground state transition is strongly enhanced. The theoretical DWBA analysis is performed with a finite range 2n-transfer form factor including recoil correction. The calculated cross section reproduces the observed systematic change over all isotopes. The absolute cross sections are normalized by a factor of 4.7 and 7.5, depending on the two different sets of 2n-wave functions used in the analysis. The results confirm the prediction of the pairing model that the transition strengths of a neutron pair between the ground states of even tin isotopes are the same.     

Pure annihilation type B→K0*±(1430)K(*)干 decays in the family non-universal Z0 model

By assuming that the scalar meson KK₀^*(1430) belongs to the rst excited states or the lowest lying ground states of qq', we study the pure annihilation-type decays B→K₀^*±(1430)K^(*)+ in the QCD factorization approach. Within the Standard Model, the branching fractions are of the order of 10^-8-10^-7, which is possible to measure in the ongoing LHCb experiment or forthcoming Belle-II experiment. We also study these decays in the family non-universal Z' model. The results show that if m_Z' 600 GeV (ξ =0.02), both the branching fractions and CP asymmetries of q⁰ →K₀^*+(1430)K^- could be changed remarkably, which provides us with a place for probing the e ect of new physics. These results could be used to constrain the parameters of the Z' model.     

Nuclear responses for double-beta decays by hadron, photon, and neutrino probes and MOON experiment

Neutrino-less double-beta decays (0νββ) with the mass sensitivities of the solar and atmospheric ν masses are of great interest for studying the Majorana nature of neutrinos and the absolute mass spectrum as suggested by recent ν oscillation experiments. Here nuclear responses (nuclear matrix elements) for 0νββ are crucial. They are well studied experimentally by using charge-exchange, photo-nuclear and neutrino reactions. MOON(Mo Observatory Of Neutrinos) is a high sensitivity 0νβ β experiment with the mass sensitivity of an order of 30 meV. Experimental studies of the nuclear responses and the present status of MOON are briefly discussed. Presented by the author at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’05), Corfu, Greece, September 26–29, 2005.     

Linear polarization and angular correlation of continuumγ-rays

The linear polarization and angular correlation of continuumγ-rays have been measured for the reactions¹²⁴Sn(⁴⁰Ar,xn)^164?x Er and¹¹⁰Pd(⁴⁰Ar,xn)^150?x Gd. From the angular correlation experiments we find that the dominant fractions of the radiation are stretched quadrupoles (50–80%) and stretched dipoles. The linear polarization results are compatible with mainlyM1 multipolarity for the dipole part of the continuum in the energy range between 0.5 and 1.6 MeV.     

New search for 0νEC/EC and 2νEC/EC decay of 106Cd

The studies aimed at decreasing the background of the TGV-2 spectrometer have led to constructive changes in the cryostat and increased the sensitivity of the 32-detector spectrometer. New search for 0νEC/EC, 2νEC/EC) decays of ¹⁰⁶Cd was started with ～13.6 g of ¹⁰⁶Cd with enrichment of 75%. The evaluation of the experimental data accumulated for 4800 h was performed. Limits (at 90% CL) on the half-lives of 0νEC/EC resonant decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the 2741 keV excited state of ¹⁰⁶Pd (T _1/2 ≥ 6.5 × 10¹⁹ y) and on t 2νEC/EC decay to the ground state of ¹⁰⁶Pd (0⁺ → 0⁺, g.s.) (T _1/2 ≥ 1.7 × 10²⁰ y) were obtained. The limits on the other branches of ¹⁰⁶Cd decay—2νEC/EC decay to the 2⁺, 512 keV and 0 ₁ ⁺ , 1334 keV excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd and 2νβ⁺β⁺ and 2νβ⁺ EC decays of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the ground and excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd were improved.     

Nuclear-level densities around Z = 50 from neutron evaporation spectra in (p, n) reactions

Neutron excitation functions, spectra, and angular distributions in the (p, n) reactions on the isotopes ¹¹⁶Sn, ¹¹⁸Sn, ¹²²Sn, and ¹²⁴Sn were measured in the proton-energy range 7–11 MeV. The measurements were performed by the time-of-flight method with the aid of a fast-neutron spectrometer at the EGP-15 pulsed tandem accelerator of the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (Obninsk). A high resolution (about 0.6 ns/m) and a high stability of the time-of-flight spectrometer made it possible to identify reliably low-lying levels along with the continuous section of the neutron spectra. The data obtained in this way were analyzed on the basis of the statistical equilibrium and preequilibrium models of nuclear reactions. The respective calculations were performed with the aid of the precise Hauser-Feshbach formalism of statistical theory. The nuclear-level densities in the isotopes ¹¹⁶Sb, ¹¹⁸Sb, ¹²²Sb, and ¹²⁴Sb were determined, along with their energy dependences and model parameters. In the excitation-energy range 0–2 MeV, the energy dependence of the nuclear-level densities exhibits a structure that is associated with the shell inhomogeneities of the spectrum of single-particle states near filled shells. The isotopic dependence of the nuclear-level density is discovered and explained. It is also shown that the data obtained here for the nuclear-level density differ markedly from the predictions of model systematics of nuclear-level densities.     

Present status and future aspects of nuclear structure close to 100Sn

The present status of experimental approach to ¹⁰⁰Sn in the spectroscopy of excited states is landmarked by the T_z=3/2 nuclei between ⁹⁵Pd and ¹⁰¹In and the T_z=1 nuclei ⁹⁴Pd and ⁹⁸Cd. The detection limits with Pre-EUROBALL γ-arrays and ancillary detectors are below the 10^?5 level of the total fusion- evaporation residue cross section. A large scale shell model analysis of the existing data reveals the shell structure at ¹⁰⁰Sn, which shows a remarkable similarity to ⁵⁶Ni. Evidence for an increasing proton-neutron interaction in approaching the N=Z line is deduced from high spin isomers and spherical yrast lines. The effective E2 operator for protons and neutrons and implications for a low lying particle-hole (ph) E2 excitation in ¹⁰⁰Sn are discussed.     

Status and perspectives of the COBRA double-beta decay experiment

The COBRA experiment is going to use a large amount of CdZnTe semiconductor detectors to perform a search for various double-beta-decay modes. The current status of the experiment is presented, as well as first results. Improved half-life limits for the ground-state transitions of ⁶⁴Zn and ¹²⁰Te for 0νβ ⁺/EC and 0νECEC have been obtained and the rate of the 4-fold forbidden ¹¹³Cd decays has been measured. A short outlook on future activities is also given.     

Search for double beta decay of 106Cd

A search for the β⁺β⁺, β⁺/EC, and EC/EC decays of ¹⁰⁶Cd was performed at the Modane Underground Laboratory (France) located at a depth of 4800 m w.e. using a TGV-2 multidetector germanium spectrometer. A preliminary evaluation is performed of the experimental data accumulated during the measurements (12 900 h) of ～13.6 g of ¹⁰⁶Cd (with an enrichment of 75%) and the spectrometer background without samples and with samples of natural Cd. New limits (at a 90% confidence level) of half-lives are obtained: T _1/2 ? 1.7 × 10²⁰ yr and T _1/2 ? 1.6 × 10²⁰ yr for the 0νEC/EC resonant decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd to the 2741 keV and 2718 keV excited states of the daughter nucleus ¹⁰⁶Pd and T _1/2 ? 4.2 × 10²⁰ yr for the 2νEC/EC decay to the ground state of ¹⁰⁶Pd (0⁺ → 0⁺, g.s.). The limits for other branches of the double beta decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd with transitions to the ground and excited states of ¹⁰⁶Pd are improved.     

Effects of adsorbates on the formation of doubly excited He atoms during impact of He2+ ions on Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces

The formation of doubly excited states of He atoms during collisions of He²⁺ ions with projectile energies between 74 eV and 124 eV with an Fe(110) and a Ni(110) surface is studied via Auger electron spectroscopy. We observe that the electron spectra from autoionization of doubly excited states of 2s², 2s2p, 2p² configurations show a pronounced dependence on the coverage with oxygen for both surfaces. For a controlled O₂ adsorption on the Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces we can explain the resulting changes in the electron spectra by the modification of the measured work functions of the target surfaces. In terms of thermal desorption and dissolution into the bulk of surface contaminations at elevated temperatures, we present an alternative interpretation of similar previous studies by another group, where the local electron spin polarization of Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces was deduced from changes in the electron spectra as function of target temperature.     

Production of P-wave charm and charm-strange mesons in hadronic Z0 decays

Results are presented on the production of excited charm and excited charm-strange mesons in hadronic Z⁰ decays. The results are obtained from approximately 4.3 million hadronic Z⁰ decays, collected on or near the Z⁰ resonance using the OPAL detector at LEP. The D⁰ ₁(2420) and D^*0 ₂ (2460) mesons are reconstructed in the D^*+π^-. final state and their separate production rates in charm fragmentation and in weak decays of b-hadrons are determined. Assuming that the decay widths of these mesons are saturated by the allowed D*π and Dπ final states, the charm hadronization fractions and the inclusive branching ratios of b-hadrons to these neutral P-wave charm mesons are determined to be     

The (t, α) reaction on 121Sb and 123Sb

Angular distributions of α-particles from the (t, α) reaction on ¹²¹Sb and ¹²³Sb have been measured for incident tritons of 12 MeV. Levels up to excitation energies of 5.2 and 4.9 MeV in ¹²⁰Sn and ¹²²Sn, respectively, have been identified and analysed by the DWBA. Values of orbital angular momenta of the transferred protons have been assigned and spectroscopic factors deduced for all strongly excited levels. The extracted ground-state wave functions of the target nuclei have been compared with the calculated ones. A mixture of collective degrees of freedom is present in the low-lying states, weakly excited by the above very selective proton pick-up reaction. These states are populated by the pick-up of external protons (outer shells). At higher excitation energy (between 4 and 5 MeV) there are many strongly excited states populated by the proton pick-up from the Z = 50 proton core (inner shells); a predominantly 1p-1h character has been assigned to these states.     

Excitation-energy sharing in uranium induced dissipative collisions

Strongly damped collisions were studied in uranium induced reactions on¹¹⁰Pd and¹²⁴Sn target nuclei near the barrier. The excitation-energy splitting was deduced from binary reaction yields and those in which the heavy fragment undergoes sequential fission. For systems with 87≦Z≦95 for the heavy fragment, the excitation energy is concentrated in the lighter nucleus, at best shared equally. The results indicate a non-equilibrated energy dissipation, and support nucleon exchange based on average single-particle strength functions as the underlying dissipation mechanism at the barrier.     

The Giant Dipole Resonance in the superdeformed143Eu nucleus

The γ-decay of the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) built on excited nuclear states has been measured for the nucleus¹⁴³Eu. The reaction¹¹⁰Pd(³⁷Cl, 4n)¹⁴³Eu at a beam energy of 165 MeV has been employed. This experiment aimed at searching the γ-decay of the GDR built on the superdeformed¹⁴³Eu states, populated at high spins. High-energy γ-rays were detected in 8 large BaF₂ scintillators in coincidence with discrete transitions measured with the NORDBALL array (in the configuration consisting of 17 HPGe detectors and a 2π multiplicity filter). The spectrum of high-energy γ-rays gated by low-energy transitions between states fed by the superdeformed states shows some excess of yield in the 7–10 MeV region with respect to that gated by transitions between states not populated by the superdeformed states. This excess should be due to the γ-decay of the the giant dipole oscillation along the superdeformed axis of the nucleus that is expected to have a frequency corresponding to ≈9–10 MeV (low-energy component of the GDR strength function). The measured excess, in spite of the large error bars, is found to be of the same order as predicted statistical model values.