Electric moments of the first excited state of 18O

The static quadrupole moment Q_2⁺ and the B(E2; 0⁺ → 2⁺) value of the first excited state of ¹⁸O at e_x = 1.982 MeV have been determined using the reorientation effect in Coulomb excitation. Surface-barrier detectors at laboratory angles of 90° and 174° were used to detect ¹⁸O ions elastically and inelastically scattered from ²⁰⁸Pb. At both angles, we determined experimentally the maximum bombarding energies at which nuclear interference effects were negligible. It is found that Q_⁺ = ?0.023 ± 0.021 e · b (?0.052 ± 0.021 e · b) for destructive (constructive) interference from higher states. This result is in good agreement with theoretical expectation. For the transition moment we find B(E2; 0⁺ → 2⁺) = 0.00390 ± 0.00018 e² · b² (0.00371 ± 0.00018 e² · b²) for destructive (constructive) interference.