Gamma-ray spectroscopy of Cr

A study of low-lying states in the self-conjugate nucleus ⁴⁸Cr has been performed with the reaction ⁴⁰Ca(¹⁰B, pnγ)⁴⁸Cr. Several techniques of γ-ray spectroscopy have been used: activity measurements, γ-ray angular distributions, γ-γ coincidences, p-n-γ triple coincidences, and recoil-distance lifetime measurements. The following level energies, spin-parity assignments, and lifetimes have been found: 752.4±0.5 keV, 2₁⁺, τ_m = 9.7±2.6 ps; 1858.7±0.7 keV, 4₁⁺, τ_m = 1.5_−0.5^+2.0 ps; 3532.7±1.2 keV, (6₁⁺); 4064.3±1.3 keV, ( 4), τ_m < 60 ps. The 2₁⁺ state in ⁴⁸Cr is found to have the lowest excitation energy and highest E2 transition strength (33±9 W.u.) among the 2₁⁺ states of even nuclei in the 1f shell.     

E2 polarization charge in Sn

The nucleus ¹⁰²Sn, which is the lightest Sn isotope with known excited states, was investigated with the ⁵⁰Cr(⁵⁸Ni,α2n) reaction using delayed in-beam γ-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. The experimental setup was designed to study the decay of μs-long isomeric states by placing γ-ray and electron detectors behind the focal plane of the Fragment Mass Analyzer at the Argonne National Laboratory. A 44 keV conversion-electron line corresponding to the (6⁺)→(4⁺) transition in ¹⁰²Sn was identified and a half-life of 0.62^+0.43_−0.19 μs was measured for the (6⁺) state. From the available experimental information neutron effective charges from 1.6 to 2.3 e were deduced, based on the comparison with different shell-model calculations.     

Energy levels of Na from the Na(d, pγ)Na reaction

Excited states in ²⁴Na have been investigated by means of the ²³Na(d, pγ)²⁴Na reaction at incident deuteron energies of 2.5 and 2.8 MeV. Excitation energies and γ-ray decay for levels up to 4.2 MeV have been determined from proton-gamma coincidence spectra obtained with a surface barrier detector and a Ge(Li) detector on-line with a computer. Two new levels at 3944 ± 2 and 4195 ± 3 keV excitation energies are reported.     

Measurement of the WWγ cross section and direct limits on anomalous quartic gauge boson couplings at LEP

The process e⁺e⁻→W⁺W⁻γ is analysed using the data collected with the L3 detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 176.8 pb⁻¹. Based on a sample of 42 selected W⁺W⁻ candidates containing an isolated hard photon, the W⁺W⁻γ cross section, defined within phase-space cuts, is measured to be: σ_WWγ=290±80±16 fb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Including the process , limits are derived on anomalous contributions to the Standard Model quartic vertices W⁺W⁻γγ and W⁺W⁻Zγ at 95% CL: −0.043 GeV⁻²<a₀/Λ²<0.043 GeV⁻², −0.08 GeV⁻²<a_c/Λ²<0.13 GeV⁻², −0.41 GeV⁻²<a_n/Λ²<0.37 GeV⁻².     

Measurement of the mass of the Λb baryon

In a data sample of four million hadronic Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP, four Λ_b baryon candidates are exclusively reconstructed in the Λ_b → Λ_c⁺π⁻ channel, with the Λ_c⁺ decaying into pK⁻π⁺, , or Λπ⁺π⁺π⁻. The probability of the observed signal to be due to a background fluctuation is estimated to be 4.2 × 10⁻⁴. The mass of the Λ_b is measured to be 5614±21 (stat.) ± 4 (syst.) MeV/c².     

Determination of the Splitting of the 6a0 and 6b0 Bands of C-Hexadeuterobenzene in a Supersonic Jet

By using resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization, rotationally resolved spectra of the 6¹₀ band of ¹²C₆D₆ and (¹³C¹²C₅D₆ molecules have been obtained for the first time at a rotational temperature of 0.7 K in a pulsed supersonic beam. From the former, the values of B″ = 0.1573 ± 0.0008 cm⁻¹, B′ = 0.1508 ± 0.0008 cm⁻¹, and ξ′ = −0.412 ± 0.050 have been derived for rotational and Coriolis constants in the lower and upper levels of ¹²C₆D₆. Also, the spectra corresponding to ¹²C₆H₆ and ¹³C¹²C₅H₆ have been measured and the values B″ = 0.1892 ± 0.0008 cm⁻¹, B′ = 0.1815 ± 0.0008 cm⁻¹, and ξ′ = −0.586 ± 0.050 have been obtained for ¹²C₆H₆, in agreement with previous results. Rotational constants of ¹³C labeled benzene molecules have been geometrically deduced from the constants obtained. Experimental isotopic shifts of the vibronic origins of the 6a¹₀ and 6b¹₀ bands have been determined. There is agreement with previous ¹³C-benzene-h₆ data. The present results are −0.91 ± 0.05 and 3.09 ± 0.05 cm⁻¹ for ¹³C¹²C₅D₆ and −1.64 ± 0.05 and 2.64 ± 0.05 cm⁻¹ for ¹³C¹²C₅H₆. The splittings of vibrational modes 6b and 6a in the ¹B_2u state are 4.00 ± 0.10 cm⁻¹ for ¹³C¹²C₅D₆ and 4.28 ± 0.10 cm⁻¹ for ¹³C¹²C₅H₆.     

Analysis of the 2ν3 band of CD3F at 5.06 μm recorded under high resolution

The 2ν₃(A₁) band of ¹²CD₃F near 5.06 μm has been recorded with a resolution of 20–24 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹. The value of the parameter (α^B − α^A) for this band was found to be very small and, therefore, the K structure of the R(J) and P(J) manifolds was unresolved for J < 15 and only partially resolved for larger J values. The band was analyzed using standard techniques and values for the following constants determined: ν₀ = 1977.178(3) cm⁻¹, B″ = 0.68216(9) cm⁻¹, D″_J = 1.10(30) × 10⁻⁶ cm⁻¹, α^B = (B″ − B′) = 3.086(7) × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹, and β^J = (D″_J − D′_J) = −3.24(11) × 10⁻⁷ cm⁻¹. A value of α^A = (A″ − A′) = 2.90(5) × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹ has been obtained through band contour simulations of the R(J) and P(J) multiplets.     

Rotational absorption spectrum of methylene fluoride in the 20–100 cm region

The pure rotational spectrum of CH₂F₂ was recorded in the 20–100 cm⁻¹ spectral range and analyzed to obtain rotation and centrifugal distortion constants. Analysis of the data yielded rotation constants: A = 1.6392173 ± 0.0000015, B = 0.3537342 ± 0.00000033, C = 0.3085387 ± 0.00000027, τ_aaaa = −(7.64 ± 0.46) × 10⁻⁵, τ_bbbb = −(2.076 ± 0.016) × 10⁻⁶, τ_cccc = −(9.29 ± 0.12) × 10⁻⁷, T₁ = (4.89 ± 0.20) × 10⁻⁶, and T₂ = −(1.281 ± 0.016) × 10⁻⁶cm⁻¹.     

Ion-beam irradiation effect on solid-phase growth of β-FeSi2

Effects of Ar⁺ ion-beam irradiation on solid-phase growth of β-FeSi₂ have been investigated. Fe (10 nm)/Si structures were irradiated with 25 keV Ar⁺ (5.0×10¹⁵ cm⁻²) at a temperature of 25°C (sample A) or 400°C (sample B), and subsequently annealed at 800°C. A reference was obtained after annealing without irradiation (sample C). X-ray diffraction results indicated that β-FeSi₂ was formed after annealing at 800°C for 5 h, and the formation rate was the fastest for sample A and the slowest for sample C, i.e., A>BC. However, Auger electron spectroscopy measurements showed that atomic mixing at Fe/Si interface before annealing was B>AC. These results suggested that amorphization of Si substrate, in addition to atomic mixing, enhanced the solid-phase growth of β-FeSi₂, which was confirmed experimentally. Moreover, a direct band gap of 0.89 eV was observed for the sample with pre-amorphization by the Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurements. These enhancement effects were attributed to that the phase transition to β-FeSi₂ was accelerated by atomic arrangement induced during annihilation of excess vacancies. These enhancement effects can be utilized for nano-fabrication of β-FeSi₂ by using focused ion-beam irradiation.     

Determination of the (Na) Sternheimer antishielding factor by Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na3OCl

The (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor γ_∞ (Na⁺) was determined by ²³Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na₃OCl. The quadrupolar coupling constant of the sodium ion in Na₃OCl was determined to QCC=11.34 MHz, which presents the largest coupling constant of a sodium nucleus observed so far. Applying a simple point charge model, the largest principal value of the electric field gradient at the sodium site was calculated to V_zz=−6.76762·10²⁰ V/m². From these values we calculated the (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor to γ_∞ (Na⁺)=−5.36. In sodium oxide, Na₂O, we observed an isotropic chemical shift of δ_CS=55.1 ppm, referenced to 1 M aqueous NaCl (δ=0 ppm).     

The 352 nm absorption spectrum of difluorodiazirine

An improved fit of a computed to the observed rotational contour of the type B O₀⁰ band of the 352 nm system of difluorodiazirine has been obtained resulting in the following geometry changes from the ground to the excited state.δr_NN=3.6±0.4pm,δr_FF=−3.8±0.1pmThe 4₁⁰ type-B band is shown to be quite strongly perturbed by Coriolis interaction between ν₄(a₁) and ν₇(b₁). A band at 0₀⁰-775 cm⁻¹ is similarly perturbed and so, almost certainly, is not the 3₁⁰ band as previously suggested but probably involves the 4₁ level.The 5₁⁰ and 5₀¹ bands involving ν₅(a₂) are shown to be type-C bands but the 5₀¹ band is overlapped by another band, possibly the 7₀¹ type-A band where ν₇ is a b₁ vibration.It has been suggested previously that a band at 0₀⁰ + 210 cm⁻¹ could be due to a triplet-singlet transition but it seems possible that it could be the 5₁¹7₀¹ perturbed type-A band of the singlet-singlet system.     

Cross-sections for the formation of isomeric pair Ge through (n, 2n), (n, p) and (n, α) reactions measured over 13.73 MeV to 14.77 MeV and calculated from near threshold to 20 MeV neutron energies

The cross-sections for formation of isomeric pair, ⁷⁵Ge^m(σ_m) and ⁷⁵Ge^g(σ_g), through ⁷⁶Ge(n, 2n), ⁷⁵As(n, p) and ⁷⁸Se(n, α) reactions were measured at 13.73 MeV, 14.42 MeV and 14.77 MeV neutrons and also estimated using EMPIRE-II and TALYS codes over neutron energies from near threshold to 20 MeV. For each (n, 2n), (n, p) and (n, α) reaction, the cross-section initially increases with neutron energy, but starts decreasing as the neutron energy exceeds the respective threshold of (n, 3n), (n, pn) and (n, αn) reactions. The higher values of σ_m relative to σ_g reveal that the transitions of the excited ⁷⁵Ge from higher energy levels to metastable state (7⁺/2) are favored as compared to unstable ground state (1⁻/2). The present values of cross sections for formation of ⁷⁵Ge^m,g through (n, 2n) and (n, α) reactions are lower, and that of (n, p) reaction are higher compared to most of the corresponding literature cross-sections.     

Electrical conductivity of Ag/Na ion-exchanged titanosilicate glasses

The Ag₂O–TiO₂–SiO₂ glasses were prepared by Ag⁺/Na⁺ ion-exchange method from Na₂O–TiO₂–SiO₂ glasses at 380–450 °C below their glass transition temperatures (T_g), and their electrical conductivities were investigated as functions of TiO₂ content and the ion-exchange ratio (Ag/(Ag+Na)). In a series of glasses 20R₂O·xTiO₂·(80−x)SiO₂ with x=10, 20, 30 and 40 in mol%, the electrical conductivities at 200 °C of the fully ion-exchanged glasses of R=Ag were in the order of 10⁻⁵ or 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ and were 1 or 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of the initial glasses of R=Na. The glass of x=30 exhibited the highest increase of conductivity from 3.8×10⁻⁷ to 1.3×10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at 200 °C by Ag⁺/Na⁺ ion exchange among them. When the ion-exchange ratio was changed in 20R₂O·30TiO₂·50SiO₂ system, the electrical conductivity at 200 °C exhibited a minimum value of 7.6×10⁻⁸ S cm⁻¹ around Ag/(Ag+Na)=0.3 and increased steeply in the region of Ag/(Ag+Na)=0.5–1.0. When the ion-exchange temperature was changed from 450 to 400 °C, the conductivity of the ion-exchanged glass of x=30 decreased. The infrared spectroscopy measurement revealed that the ion-exchange temperature of 450 °C induced a structural change in the glass of x=30. The T_g of the fully ion-exchanged glass of x=30 was 498 °C. It was suggested that the incorporated silver ions changed the average coordination number of titanium ions to form higher ion-conducting pathway and resulted in high conductivity in the titanosilicate glasses.     

The spectra and structure of indium iodide: The rotational and vibrational constants of the A0 state

The rotational constants of the A0⁺ state of InI are reported for the first time as B_e = 0.038077 cm⁻¹ and α_e = 0.0002373 cm⁻¹, while T_e = 24402.91 cm⁻¹ for the A0⁺-X0⁺ transition. Accurate vibrational constants for both the A0⁺ and X0⁺ states are computed from the derived band origins.     

Observation of the π(1800) and (1880) mesons in decay

A partial-wave analysis of the reaction π⁻p→ηηπ⁻p at 18 GeV/c has been performed on a data sample of approximately 4000 events obtained by Brookhaven experiment E852. The J^PC=0⁻⁺π(1800) state is observed in the a₀(980)η and f₀(1500)π decay modes. It has a mass of 1876±18±16 MeV/c² and a width of 221±26±38 MeV/c². The J^PC=2⁻⁺π₂(1880) meson is observed decaying through a₂(1320)η. It has a mass of 1929±24±18 MeV/c² and a width of 323±87±43 MeV/c². Both states are potential candidates for non-exotic hybrid mesons.     

Measurement of and the dipion contribution to the muon anomaly with the KLOE detector

We have measured the cross section σ(e⁺e⁻→π⁺π⁻γ(γ)) at DAΦNE, the Frascati -factory, using events with initial state radiation photons emitted at small angle and inclusive of final state radiation. We present the analysis of a new data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 240 pb⁻¹. We have achieved a reduced systematic uncertainty with respect to previously published KLOE results. From the cross section we obtain the pion form factor and the contribution to the muon magnetic anomaly from two-pion states in the mass range 0.592<M_ππ<0.975 GeV. For the latter we find Δ^ππa_μ=(387.2±0.5_stat±2.4_exp±2.3_th)×10⁻¹⁰.     

The microwave spectrum of 1-phosphabut-3-ene-1-yne, CH2=CHCP

The new molecule 1-phosphabut-3-ene-1-yne, CH₂=CHCP, produced by pyrolyzing prop-1-ene-3-phosphorus dichloride, CH₂=CHCH₂PCl₂, was detected by microwave spectroscopy. The analysis of the rotational transitions indicates that the molecule is planar with constants: A₀ = 46 694(24), B₀ = 2807.7100(21), and C₀ = 2645.8356(21) MHz. These rotational constants indicate that the structure of the vinyl group is essentially the same as that in CH₂=CHCN and CH₂=CHCCH; r(C---C) = 1.432 Å and (C=C---C) = 123.9°. The dipole moment parameters are μ_A = 1.181(2), μ_B = 0.074(1), and μ = 1.183(2) D. The vibrational satellite spectra for the C---CP bending modes indicate that ν₁₁(a′) = 184 ± 30 cm⁻¹ and ν₁₅(a″) = 263 ± 30 cm⁻¹.     

Looking for double beta decay of Nd to excited states of Sm by gamma ray spectroscopy

We have measured the gamma ray activity of a sample of 6189 grams of metallic Neodimium with a germanium detector. From the gamma energy spectrum recorded during almost 6500 hours we extract lower limits for the halflife of the inclusive (0ν + 2ν) ββ decay of ¹⁵⁰Nd to the first excited states of ¹⁵⁰Sm : t_1/2(0⁺ → 0₁⁺ > 1.0·10²⁰, t_1/2(O⁺ → 0₂⁺) > 2.0 · 10²⁾, t_1/2(0⁺ → 2₁⁺) > 9.1 · 10¹⁹.     

Study of the (9.46) meson in electron-positron annihilations

New data for the reaction e⁺e⁻→(9.46) have been obtained using the DASP detector at the DORIS storage ring. The electronic width Γ_ee is (1.5±0.4) keV. The branching ratio for the decay into muon pairs is (2.5 ± 2.1)%. Energy spectra for inclusive production of hadrons are given.     

Sulfur dioxide: Rotational constants and asymmetric structure of the state

Eight bands of the 2350 Å system of sulfur dioxide have been rotationally analyzed as A-type transitions of a prolate asymmetric rotor, confirming that the electronic transition is ¹B₂ ← ¹A₁[2b₁(π^*) ← 1a₂(π)]. The electronic energy and rotational constants of the 0-0 band are, in cm⁻¹: These constants correspond to the average structure r₀ = 1.560 Å and θ₀ = 104.3°. However, the vibrational structure can only be satisfactorily accounted for on the hypothesis of a double-minimum potential in the antisymmetrical stretching coordinate Q₃, the energies of the fundamental levels in the three modes of the B₂ state being: (100), 960 cm⁻¹; (010), 377 cm⁻¹; and (001), 220 cm⁻¹ The (001) level is not observed in the spectrum but can be calculated from the distortion constants and inertial defect of the rotational analysis: the level (002) = 561 cm⁻¹, obtained directly from the vibrational structure, establishes that there is strong, positive anharmonicity in the first three levels of this vibration, as required by the assumption of a double-minimum potential function. Preliminary values are reported for the barrier to the symmetrical configuration, V/hc 100 cm⁻¹, and for the difference in bond distances in the equilibrium configuration, Δr0.12 Å. Coon and his co-workers have previously considered the possible asymmetry of this state but the Q₃ inversion barrier obtained by them, 656 cm⁻¹, is much higher than in the present work, and reasons for this are discussed.