Particle plus octupoleM2/E3 isomers and high-spin particle-hole states in147Tb and148Tb

The level structures of theN=82 andN=83 nuclei¹⁴⁷Tb and¹⁴⁸Tb have been studied by means of (α, 8n) and (α,7n) reactions induced by 68 to 110 MeVα particle bombardments of¹⁵¹Eu targets. In-beam conversion electron measurements have established that isomers withT _1/2=4.8(6)ns in¹⁴⁷Tb andT _1/2=22(1)ns in¹⁴⁸Tb decay byM2+E3 transitions to the ground states. The measuredB(E3) values show that the isomeric states arise from the coupling of the valence nucleon(s) to the¹⁴⁶Gd core octupole. Particlephonon coupling in these nuclei and in the one-neutron nucleus¹⁴⁷Gd is discussed and compared with well known cases involving the²⁰⁸Pb core. The higher lying yrast states in the two Tb nuclei are described as shell-model particle-hole excitations using empirical single particle energies and nucleon-nucleon interactions.     

Study of form factors for single-proton transfer reactions on152Sm,154Gd and156Gd

The (³He,d) and (α,t) single-proton transfer reactions on targets of¹⁵²Sm,¹⁵⁴Gd and¹⁵⁶Gd were studied at 35MeV incident energy. Differential cross sections of rotational states built upon various single-proton configurations are compared with results of DWBA calculations which employed various radial form factors. The agreement between calculated and measured reaction cross sections is found to improve significantly when the commonly used spherical bound-state potentials are replaced by deformed ones, including deformed Coulomb and spin-orbit wells, and projected form factors are used to calculate DWBA cross sections. Discrepancies in the differential cross sections so large that they cannot be attributed to band mixing phenomena are readily explained by form factor effects.     

Production of149gTb in deep inelastic transfer reactions: An approach to the angular momentum of fragments

The excitation functions for deep inelastic reactions in which two to six charges are transferred from⁴⁰Ar and⁶³Cu ions to rare earth targets have been measured using activation techniques, the observed radionuclides being^{150, 151}Dy and^149gTb. From the comparison of the curves relative to^149gTb and those relative to^{150, 151}Dy, it was deduced that the low spin isomer^149gTb was produced with significant probability for low incident energies. Using data from (heavy ions,xn) reactions, it was possible to attribute this production to the deexcitation of Tb fragments formed in deep inelastic transfers with angular momenta lower than 9?. This result is in good agreement with the angular momentum calculations performed under the hypothesis that the initial angular momentum window leading to deep inelastic reactions is situated between the critical angular momentum for fusion and that corresponding to grazing collisions. As far as Cu induced reactions are concerned, both hypothesis of rolling and sticking are consistent with the experimental data. For Ar induced reactions, the results indicate that the stage of sticking is not reached when the incident energy is lower than 200 MeV. Nuclear Reactions:^{142, 145}Nd,^{144, 148}Sm,¹⁵⁴Gd(Ar,X)^{151, 150}Dy,^149gTbE=160–280 MeV; measuredσ(E).¹⁴⁴Nd,¹⁴⁸Sm,¹⁵¹Eu,¹⁵⁴Gd(Cu, X)^{151, 150}Dy,^149gTb.E=280–420 MeV measuredσ(E). Enriched targets. Deduced angular momentum of Tb fragments.     

Protonh 2 11/2 and octupole excitations in148 66Dy82 and149 66Dy83

The yrast states of¹⁴⁸Dy and¹⁴⁹Dy have been studied by γ-ray and conversion electron measurements in (α, xn) and (¹⁶O,xn) reactions on enriched¹⁵²Gd and¹³⁵Ce targets. Level schemes to above 4 MeV for the two nuclei are reported. The πh ² _11/2 spectrum identified in¹⁴⁸Dy and the πh _11/2 effective chargee _eff=1.52±0.05e, derived from the measuredE2 transition rate between the (πh ² _11/2) 10⁺ and 8⁺ states, are discussed and compared with results for other two-particle nuclei. The yrast cascades in¹⁴⁸Dy and¹⁴⁹Dy continue above the (πh ² _11/2) 10⁺ and πh ² _11/2 vf _7/2) 27/2^? states by ～ 1 MeVE1 transitions de-exciting the lowest members of octupole multiplets built on these states. The energy shifts for the observed members of the πh ² _11/2 × 3^? multiplet are analyzed in terms of twoparticle-phonon exchange coupling using an empirical coupling strength extracted from the one valence particle nucleus¹⁴⁷Tb. The dominantvf _7/2×3^? character of low-lying 13/2⁺ isomers in¹⁴⁹Dy and otherN=83 nuclei is emphasized.     

The doubly-magic character of146Gd and its relation to208Pb

Recent experiments indicate the possibility of a doubly-magic character for the nucleus¹⁴⁶Gd (Z=64, N=82). In this work the results of a large-scale shell-model study on the nucleus¹⁴⁶Gd and its neighbouring nuclei¹⁴⁵Eu,¹⁴⁵Gd,¹⁴⁷Gd and¹⁴⁷Tb are presented. The configurations taken into account include up to 2p - 2h excitations for protons and/or neutrons. The calculated spectra and static moments are compared with the experimental data. Finally, the present results on shell closure in¹⁴⁶Gd are discussed in connection with those derived from a similar approach applied to the well-known doubly-magic nucleus²⁰⁸Pb.     

Shell model and octupole states in148Gd from in-beam experiments

Through (α, 4n) and (τ, 3n) reactions the high-spin states in the two-neutron nucleus¹⁴⁸Gd were populated up toI ^π=21? at 7.2 MeV, including numerous states above the yrast line. The¹⁴⁸Gd energy spectrum is interpreted in terms of the spherical shell model. Identification of the (νf _7/2 i _{1 3/2})_10? state gives the νi _13/2 single particle energy free of octupole admixtures as 2.1(1) MeV. Eight high-spin states between 1.2 and 3.7 MeV were identified as the couplings of the two valence-particles to the¹⁴⁶Gd octupole phonon, and three above-lying levels are assigned as double-octupole excitations including a 12⁺ state which decays by anE3-E3 stretched cascade. All these octupole levels can be quantitatively predicted from the one-particle x phonon spectrum of¹⁴⁷Gd. The high-spin states above 3 MeV are four-quasiparticle excitations ofπ ⁺¹ π ^?1 ν ² andπ ² ν ² type and their energies are in good accord with shell model estimates.     

Decay energies of the low-spin states of147Tb and148Tb

Using¹¹²Cd(⁴⁰Ar,pxn) reactions andγ-ray spectroscopy, the EC/β ⁺ and EC(K)/β ⁺ probability ratios were determined for individualβ-transitions in the¹⁴⁷Tb(1.6 h)→¹⁴⁷Gd and¹⁴⁸Tb(60 min)→¹⁴⁸Gd decays. Under assumption of applicability of theoretical ratios for allowedβ-decays on the first-forbidden nonunique transitions studied here, the experimental ratios were converted into information on decay energies. Combining the results with the known masses of^147,148Gd andQ _α values of neutron-deficient holmium-to-lutetium isotopes, mass excesses could be determined for¹⁴⁷Tb,¹⁴⁸Tb, low-spin¹⁵¹Ho, low-spin¹⁵²Ho,¹⁵⁵Tm,¹⁵⁶Tm and¹⁵⁹Lu.     

Mass excess of 147Tb

The mass excess of ¹⁴⁷Tb has been determined from the Q-value measurement of the ¹⁴⁴Sm(^14N, ¹¹Be)¹⁴⁷Tb reaction to be ?71.00 ± 0.05 MeV. The two-proton separation energy provides little evidence for a magic proton shell closure at Z = 64.     

The ground state mass of147Gd from single-neutron-transfer reactions and its impact on derived mass values

Using a¹⁴⁸Gd radioactive target and the (p,d), (d,t), and (³He,α) single neutron pick-up reactions we have measured the¹⁴⁷Gd mass excess as — 75,366(4) keV, which differs by 139(24) keV from the adopted value of the 1983 mass table. From this result, and from recently reported first transfer-reaction mass determinations for¹⁴⁵Eu and¹⁴⁶Eu, we have recalculated the masses of nuclei above¹⁴⁶Gd from a previous shell model analysis of high-spin states.     

Atomic masses above146Gd derived from a shell model analysis of high spin states

From a shell model analysis of high-spin states in neutron deficient nuclei above¹⁴⁶Gd we have derived the ground state masses of theN=82 and 83 isotones of Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er. The results can be used to calculate the energies of aligned multiparticle yrast configurations. They also link ten α-decay chains to the nuclei with known masses, providing many new absolute mass values which are compared with predictions. An examination of the two-proton separation energies atN=82 shows an 0.5 MeV break in the nuclear mass surface atZ=64.     

Proton states in the N = 88 nuclei 149Pm, 151Eu and 153Tb populated in the (τ, d) and (α, t) reactions

The (τ, d) and (α, t) reaction on targets of ¹⁴⁸Nd, ¹⁵⁰Sm and ¹⁵²Gd have been studied, using beams of 24 MeV ³He and 27 MeV ⁴He from the McMaster University FN tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. The reaction products were analyzed with a magnetic spectrograph and detected with photographic emulsions. The (α, t) spectra were measured at two angles for each target, and the (τ, d) reactions were studied at 8 or 9 angles. The l-values for a number of low-spin states were determined from the (τ, d) angular distributions, and ratios of the (α, t) and (τ, d) cross sections were used to obtain l-values for several other states. There are some striking similarities in the observed structures of the three final nuclei, ¹⁴⁹Pm, ¹⁵¹Eu and ¹⁵³Tb. In each case there are low-lying strongly populated $\text{11}\text{2}$^? states and a higher lying l = 5 level somewhat below 1 MeV of excitation energy. Several states (10 in ¹⁴⁹Pm, 17 in ¹⁵¹Eu and 8 in ¹⁵³Tb) appear to be populated via l = 2 transitions, and there are strongly excited $\text{1}\text{2}$⁺ levels at $\text{≧ 1}\text{MeV}$ of excitation energy in each case. Of particular interest is a $\text{7}\text{2}$^? state located ≦ 50 keV above the lowest $\text{11}\text{2}$^? state in each nuclide. The relatively strong populations of these $\text{7}\text{2}$^? levels in the present experiments are contrary to expectations based on the simple shell model as there are no f_{$\text{7}\text{2}$} states in the 50 < Z < 82 shell.     

Lifetime measurements in 148Gd

Lifetimes of excited states in ¹⁴⁸Gd were measured using the recoil distance method with a plunger device coupled to the EUROBALL Ge detector array. The differential decay curve method in coincidence mode allowed the unambiguous determination of lifetimes of more than 20 excited states. The obtained transition strengths are in good agreement with the shell model calculations. The effect of the Z = 64 subshell closure on the B(E2 : 2⁺ → 0⁺) reduced strengths above the N = 82 magic number is discussed.-1 Received: 14 November 2002 / Accepted: 4 February 2003 / Published online: 29 April 2003     

Atomic masses of147m, 148m, 149m Tb,148Dy,150m, 152m Ho derived from decay properties

Using nuclear fusion reactions of⁴⁰Ar ions with¹¹²Cd,¹¹⁴Sn and¹¹⁶Sn and subsequentγ-ray spectroscopy, the probability ratios of positron emission and electron capture,β ⁺/EC _k andβ ⁺/(EC+β ⁺), are determined for individualβ-transitions in the decay of^147m ,^148m ,^149m Tb,¹⁴⁸Dy and^150m ,^152m Ho. From comparison with theoretical ratios the followingQ _EC values, given in keV, are derived:^147m Tb, 4.620(60);^148m Tb, 5.730(30);^149m Tb, 3.610(50);¹⁴⁸Dy, 2.680(30);^150m Ho, 6.625(120) and^152m Ho, 6.470(80). The present decay-energy data are compared with earlier measurements and the new information obtained for the mass surface around¹⁴⁶Gd is discussed.     

High spin shell model excitations in149Gd

The high spin level structure of the three-neutron nucleus¹⁴⁹Gd has been investigated by in-beamγ-ray and electron spectroscopy with (α, xn) reactions. The observed levels are characterized as members of the shell model multipletsνf ₇ ^2/3 ,νh _9/2 f ₇ ^2/2 ,νf ₇ ^2/3 ×3^?,νh _9/2 f ₇ ^2/2 ×3^?, and tentativelyνf ₇ ^2/3 ×(3^?)². The energies of theν f ₇ ^2/3 states agree only moderately with those calculated using empirical two-nucleon interactions taken from¹⁴⁸Gd, which indicates the importance of long range contributions already atN=85.     

A 0.5 μs 10+ isomer in148Dy82 and the πh11/2 effectiveE 2 charge

In¹⁵²Gd(α,8n) and¹³⁶Ce(¹⁶O,4n) reaction studies a 48O ns 10⁺ isomer in¹⁴⁸Dy has teen identified, and its decay has been characterized. All members of the πh ₁₁ ^2/2 level spectrum have been located, and the 10⁺ → 8⁺ B(E2) value gives the πh ₁₁ ^2/2 effective charge as 1.53 e. The 2⁺ and 3^? level energies in¹⁴⁸Dy₈₂ provide supporting evidence for a shell closure at Z=64.     

(p,t) Reaction studies on some even isotopes of samarium

The (p, t) reaction on the even isotopes¹⁴⁴Sm,¹⁴⁸Sm and¹⁵⁰Sm has been investigated at an incident proton energy of 25.5 MeV. Angular distributions have been measured for transitions to the ground state and excited states up to an excitation energy of about 2.5 MeV. Especially theL=0 angular distributions are discussed.     

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⁺.     

High spin states in148Tb

The level scheme of¹⁴⁸Tb has been extended to an excitation energyE _x =14.0 MeV and a spinI≈ 38? in two experiments with the OSIRIS Comptom suppressed detector array at the HMI Berlin using the reactions¹²²Sn(³¹P,5n)¹⁴⁸Tb at 160 MeV and¹²⁰Sn(³¹P,3n)¹⁴⁸Tb at 152 MeV.     

Particle-hole multiplets in146Gd from in-beam studies of non-yrast levels

Non-yrast levels of¹⁴⁶Gd have been investigated by in-beamγ-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy following the¹⁴⁴Sm(α, 2n) reaction at 25.7 MeV, an energy which was determined to provide optimum population of levels above the yrast line. The detailed¹⁴⁶Gd level scheme includes twenty-one newly identified levels, many of which can be characterized in terms of specific proton particle-hole configurations. Several twoparticle-twohole states involving the 3^? phonon have also been identified.