Inelastic scattering of heavy ions from deformed light nuclei at near-barrier energies

Angular distributions have been measured at energies near the Coulomb barrier for the systems ¹⁸O + ²⁴Mg, ¹²C + ²⁸Si and ^{16, 18}O + ²⁸Si for elastic scattering and inelastic scattering to the first 2⁺ states in ¹⁸O, ²⁴Mg and ²⁸Si. Coupled-channel calculations were required in order to reproduce the details of the strong Coulomb-nuclear interference minima. However, a satisfactory account of the main features of the data was obtained in a first-order DWBA analysis and with the closed formalism of Frahn. With the exception of ¹⁸O, it was sufficient to assume equal charge and optical-potential deformation lengths.     

Heavy-ion inelastic scattering

The ²⁴Mg(¹⁶O, ¹⁶O'γ)²⁴Mg(2⁺) reaction has been investigated at 42 MeV incident energy. In-plane (¹⁶O, γ) angular correlations were measured for outgoing ¹⁶O ions between 6° and 40°. The results are compared with DWBA and coupled channels calculations.     

Electromagnetic transitions in some odd-proton deformed nuclei

In-beam measurements of nanosecond lifetimes applying the method of delayed γ-γ coincidences were performed in the (p, n) reaction. Analysing the time spectra with the centroid shift method, the following half-lives of excited nuclear states in the subnanosecond region could be found: $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(353.2}\text{keV in}{}^{161}\text{Ho}\text{) = 0.52±0.15}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(252.7}\text{keV in}{}^{161}\text{Ho}\text{) ≦ 0.2}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(579.4}\text{keV in}{}^{161}\text{Ho}\text{) ≦ 0.2}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(431.2}\text{keV in}{}^{163}\text{Ho}\text{) = 0.37±0.15}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(439.9}\text{keV in}{}^{163}\text{Ho}\text{) = 0.35±0.15}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(471.3}\text{keV in}{}^{163}\text{Ho}\text{) ? 0.2}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(612.8}\text{keV in}{}^{163}\text{Ho}\text{) ? 0.3}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(295.6}\text{keV in}{}^{171}\text{Lu}\text{) = 0.85±0.20}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(469.2}\text{keV in}{}^{171}\text{Lu}\text{) ≦ 0.2}\text{ns}$, $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(357.0}\text{keV in}{}^{173}\text{Lu}\text{) = 0.40±0.08}\text{ns and}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(449.0}\text{keV in}{}^{173}\text{Lu}\text{) = 0.58±0.12}\text{ns}$. Following half-lives in ¹⁷³Lu have been remeasured: $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(425.3}\text{keV}\text{) = 0.84±0.20}\text{ns and}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{(434.9}\text{keV}\text{) = 0.38±0.10}\text{ns}$. Absolute γ-ray transition probabilities are deduced and compared with Nilsson model predictions including pairing correlations. Coriolis mixing calculations are performed for K-allowed as well as for K-forbidden transitions.     

An experimental study of He elastic,inelastic and charge-exchange scattering from Li

A target of ⁶Li was bombarded with the ³He beam from the University of Illinois cyclotron. Differential cross sections for the elastic scattering, the inelastic scattering to the first two excited states of ⁶Li, and the (³He, t) charge-exchange reaction to the ground state of ⁶Be were determined over angular ranges of approximately 20° to 115° (c.m.) at ³He energies of 24.6 MeV and 27.0 MeV. (The weak inelastic transition to the 3.56 MeV state of ⁶Li, ordinarily obscured by a background of three-body break-up, was observed by requiring a coincidence at most angles between the scattered ³He and the ⁶Li recoil.) The ratio of the integrated charge-exchange cross section between 55° and 115° to the integrated inelastic cross section for this transition (both with ΔT = 1) is somewhat less than expected from isospin considerations (i.e., about 1.6 instead of 2.0).     

Target excitations and the optical potential for protons scattering from nuclei

We calculate the contributions to the optical potential for 30 MeV protons due to inelastic excitations of the target nucleus. The scattering due to this non-local potential is calculated exactly and some of the results subjected to conventional optical model analysis. When only one excited state is included, a resonant dependence on the excitation energy is observed. Even with ten excited states, the position of a single one can strongly influence the scattering. It is possible to account for about $\text{3}\text{4}$ of the observed absorption in ⁴⁰Ca and ²⁰⁸Pb, but only by postulating unobserved states which exhaust the remainder of the experimental sum rules at somewhat unreasonably low energies. It was not possible to find simple local potentials which gave the same scattering because of the strong L-dependence of the absorption. The constructed potentials concentrate the absorption at too small radii. It is suggested that rearrangement (pick-up) processes contribute a substantial amount of absorption at larger radii, while compound formation will give rise to a volume term in the imaginary potential.     

Magnetic sub-state population cross sections in inelastic alpha-nucleus scattering

Properties of the sub-state population cross sections σ_M for inelastic α-nucleus scattering are explored within the deformed collective nuclear model. The interference between the nuclear and Coulomb parts of the inelastic transition potential is calculated with the DWBA. The effect on the M = ?2 sub-state cross section is substantially more pronounced than that for the usual inelastic differential cross section Σ_mσ_m. The effect of re-orientation terms is calculated by means of a coupled channel formalism for small values of the quadrupole deformation parameter β₂. It is found to shift the angular position of the minima of the σ_M relative to the DWBA result, in a way which depends on the sign of β₂. A spin orbit potential has only a small effect on the σ_M. The calculations refer to 15 MeV α-particles incident on a nucleus of the size and charge of Ca.     

Heavy-ion excitation of 3− states in deformed nuclei

Previously measured data for 70.4 MeV ¹²C excitation of 3^? states in ^{148, 150}Nd are reanalyzed using a third-order rotational-vibrational model. Calculations using 3^? quadrupole moments which are expected if they are K = 0 states are in reasonable agreement with the magnitude of the large-angle data, but the quality of the fit in the Coulomb-nuclear interference region is only fair. It is found that the matrix element 〈2⁺∥M(E3)∥3^?〉 plays an important role in the calculations making the “measurement” of the 3^? quadrupole moments very difficult, if not impossible.     

Spin-flip probability in the inelastic scattering of 16.9 MeV neutrons from 12C

The neutron spin-flip probability S(θ) for inelastic scattering of unpolarized 16.9 MeV neutrons to the 4.44 MeV state of ¹²C has been determined by measuring the absolute directional correlation between the scattered neutrons and the subsequent E2 deexcitation γ- radiation emitted perpendicular to the scattering plane. Time-of-flight techniques with carbon recoil detection in a plastic scintillator were used to separate elastically and inelastically scattered neutrons. The neutron spin-flip data were found to be in close agreement with 20.0 MeV proton spin-flip results. Comparison of the measurement is made with the predictions of a microscopic antisymmetrized distorted wave calculation in which the direct reaction mechanism is supplemented by a two step resonance contribution. This theoretical analysis reveals the presence of a strong quadrupole resonance at 20.5 MeV excitation in ¹²C. The results are also influenced to a lesser extent by the E1 giant dipole resonance.     

Investigation of some low-lying states in Pb by inelastic electron scattering

Differential cross sections for inelastic electron scattering from ²⁰⁸Pb have been measured in the momentum-transfer range from 0.48 fm⁻¹ to 1.54 fm⁻¹. The cross sections for the excitation of the 3⁻ level at 2.6 MeV cannot be reproduced with a modified liquid-drop model using a two- or three-parameter Fermi distribution, but are instead consistent with a phenomenological distribution which consists of two Gaussian functions multiplied with r^L−1. The value obtained for the reduced transition probability B (0.624±0.04 b³) is somewhat different from that determined in earlier electron scattering experiments. The cross sections for the excitation of the two 5⁻ levels at 3.2 and 3.7 MeV exhibit a striking difference in that the ratios of the cross section in the two first diffraction maxima are different by a factor of 2.5. The cross sections for the excitation of the level at 3.2 MeV can be reproduced with the modified liquid-drop model using a three-parameter Fermi distribution. The value for B is determined to be 0.053±0.014 b⁵. The excitation of the level at 3.7 MeV cannot be described by this model. There are strong indications that the transition charge here consists of two regions with opposite sign.     

Dispersion relations and low-energy elastic scattering of charged particles from nuclei: (II). Application to N-4He scattering

A “Coulomb-modified” dispersion relation is applied to low-energy p-⁴He forward elastic scattering. To check the validity of the modification, the results are compared with those deduced from n-⁴He elastic scattering. Completely analogous information is obtained for the two processes. The exchange of three bound nucleons is found to contribute strongly to N-⁴He forward scattering. The corresponding ⁴He-³H-p and ⁴He-³He-n coupling constants are evaluated as R_p = 3.8±0.3 and R_n = 3.0±0.3, respectively. These constants are related to the strength of the asymptotic wave function of nucleons in ⁴He and thus to the tail of the nucleon distribution. A comparison of R_p with the empirical proton distribution in ⁴He as deduced from e-⁴He elastic scattering shows excellent agreement. From R_p and R_n the effective ranges of the singlet ³H-p and ³He-n interactions in the ground state of ⁴He are determined to be equal, in accordance with charge symmetry, and to have a value of r_eff = 1.072±0.006 fm.     

Elastic and inelastic scattering of 18O by 16O and 18O

Angular distributions have been measured for the elastic and inelastic scattering of ¹⁸O by ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O at laboratory bombarding energies of 42 and 52 MeV. The inelastic scattering data are analyzed in terms of collective excitations using a coupled channel approach. Deformation parameters are obtained for the strongly excited states. The relationship between the strength of inelastic scattering and the amount of structure in the elastic scattering distributions is discussed.     

High energy elastic and inelastic p-12C scattering and nuclear deformation

Starting from a microscopic deformed picture of the ¹²C nucleus, and using angular momentum projected wave functions, the elastic and inelastic 1 GeV p-scattering differential cross sections have been analysed within the framework of the Glauber theory. From a comparison of the results obtained in a full Glauber calculation and in the optical limit, it has been shown that the elastic scattering and, to a lesser extent, the transition to the 2⁺(4.44 MeV) level are only weakly affected by the long-range correlations. In contrast the scattering to the 4⁺(14.08 MeV) state includes crucial multi-step contributions which affect the differential cross section both in shape and magnitude. Similarly the corrections to the DWIA are essential for the transition to the 3^?(9.64 MeV) state and a satisfactory explanation of the qualitative differences observed between the 2⁺ and 3^? inelastic cross sections in ¹²C is given. The great sensitivity of the cross sections to the nuclear deformation is shown and a generally good agreement with experiment for both the electron form factors and 1 GeV p cross sections has been obtained for the ground-state intraband transitions using a single oblate intrinsic state. The importance of a correct treatment of the rotational motion through the angular momentum projection is underlined and the use of the adiabatic approxmation is critically examined.     

Determination of nuclear spectroscopic factors from data on differential cross sections for elastic neutron scattering on light nuclei

The values of the coupling constants (spectroscopic factors) dpn, ¹²C¹¹Cn and ¹⁴N¹³Nn have been derived by means of the extrapolation of differential cross section data to the corresponding poles. Some general questions concerning the application of this method to light nuclei are considered.     

The rôle of particle transfer in large-angle scattering of 1p-shell nuclei

The scattering of different 1p shell heavy ions on nuclei of the same species has been measured in the whole angular range up to 174°. Various pairs of interacting nuclei have been selected according to the different complexities of their properties which can influence the scattering through higher-order processes to different degrees. In general, the observed rise of the cross section in the backward region is satisfactorily described as a single-step transfer reaction. Second-order processes and compound-nucleus contributions are of no practical importance for the explanation of the elastic scattering data. The performed analysis, however, leaves some features in the experimental angular distributions not fully and satisfactorily understood.     

Electron scattering from 70Ge and 72Ge

Cross sections have been measured for the elastic and inelastic scattering of electrons from ⁷⁰Ge and ⁷²Ge for momentum transfers from 0.65 to 1.14 fm^?1. Values for the parameters of a Fermi type ground-state charge distribution were obtained from a phase shift analysis of the elastic cross sections. The rms charge radius corresponding to these parameters is 4.07±0.02 fm for ⁷⁰Ge and 4.05±0.03 fm for ⁷²Ge. Using DWBA analysis the reduced transition probabilities for the electroexcitation of the 2₁⁺ and 3₁^? states were found to be: B(E2, ω)↑ = 19.7±1.2, 26.8±2.0 W.u.; B(E3, ω)↑ = 36±5, 37±7 W.u. for ⁷⁰Ge and ⁷²Ge respectively. The J^π = 3^? assignments for the state at 2.562 MeV in ⁷⁰Ge and 2.515 MeV in ⁷²Ge are confirmed.     

Neutron inelastic scattering to octupole states in single-closed-shell nuclei

Differential cross sections for the excitation of the first octupole-vibrational state in the closed- neutron-shell nuclides ⁸⁸Sr and ⁹⁰Zr and in the closed-proton shell-nuclei ^{116, 118, 120, 124}Sn by 11 MeV neutrons are presented. The distorted-wave Born approximation is used to obtain deformation lengths, σ(3^?), for each state. Results are compared with earlier measurements of inelastic proton scattering to the same states. Although limited resolution in the neutron time- of-flight spectrometer complicates the interpretation of the Sn data, the overall conclusion that σ_nn′(3^?) ≈ σ_pp′(3^?) is supported by all of the measurements.