Core polarization effects on C4 form factors of sd-shell nuclei

Coulomb form factors of C4 transitions in even-even N = Z sd-shell nuclei ( ²⁰Ne, ²⁴Mg, ²⁸Si and ³²S) are discussed taking into account higher-energy configurations outside the sd-shell model space which are called core polarization effects. Higher configurations are taken into account through a microscopic theory, which allows particle-hole excitations from the 1s and 1p shells core orbits and also from the 2s1d-shell orbits to the higher allowed orbits with excitations up to 4 ω. The effect of core polarization is found essential in both the transition strengths and momentum transfer dependence of form factors, and gives a remarkably good agreement with the measured data with no adjustable parameters. The calculations are based on the Wildenthal interaction for the sd-shell model space and on the modified surface delta interaction (MSDI) for the core polarization effects. Received: 24 January 2002 / Accepted: 29 July 2002 / Published online: 6 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: baguniv@uruklink.net Communicated by P. Schuck     

Perturbative role in the inelastic electron scattering from <Superscript>29</Superscript>Si

Inelastic electron scattering form factors away from the closed sd -shell are investigated. This investigation covers the low-lying states in ²⁹Si , which is considered according to the many-particle configuration mixing shell model as the ¹⁶O core, plus thirteen nucleons distributed over the entire sd -shell orbits. The investigation concentrates on the perturbative role of the core, which is called core polarization effects, on the inelastic electron scattering form factors. Core polarization effects are taken into consideration through the excitation of nucleons from 1s and 1p core orbits, and also from the 2s -1d valence orbits into higher shells, with 2ℏω excitations. Core polarization matrix elements are calculated with the M3Y effective interaction. For the sd -shell model space, a new Hamiltonian, based on a renormalized G -matrix, USDB, is used. All calculations are performed without adjusting any parameters.     

Rotational bands and signature inversion phenomena in πh9/2⊗νi13/2 and πi13/2⊗νi13/2 structures in odd-odd 176Ir

The ^109,111,113Rh nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in the fusion reaction ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb at 85 MeV. Their level schemes have been built from gamma-rays detected using the Euroball IV array. High-spin states of the neutron-rich ^111,113Rh nuclei have been identified for the first time. Several rotational bands with the odd proton occupying the πg _9/2, πp _1/2 and π(g _7/2/d _5/2) sub-shells have been observed. A band of low-energy transitions has been identified at excitation energy around 2 MeV in ^109,111Rh, which can be interpreted in terms of three-quasiparticle excitation, πg _9/2νh _11/2νg _7/2/d _5/2. In addition another structure built on states located at low excitation energy (608 keV in ¹¹¹Rh, 570 keV in ¹¹³Rh) points out that, as already observed in the lighter isotopes ^107,109Rh, triaxial deformation plays a role in the neutron-rich Rh isotopes well beyond the mid-shell. Received: 15 July 2002 / Accepted: 9 October 2002 / Published online: 3 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CEA/Saclay, DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Maximally aligned states in 99Ag

Excited states of ⁹⁹Ag were populated via the ⁵⁰Cr + ⁵⁸Ni (261 MeV) reaction using the NORDBALL detector array equipped with charged-particle and neutron detector systems for reaction channel separation. On the basis of the measured γγ-coincidence relations and angular distribution ratios a significantly extended level scheme has been constructed up to E _x ∼ 7.8 MeV and I = 35/2. The experimental results were described within the framework of the shell model. Candidates for states fully aligned in the πg _9/2 ^-3ν(d _5/2, g _7/2)² valence configuration space were found at 4109 and 6265 keV. Received: 18 June 2002 / Accepted: 11 October 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: sohler@atomki.hu Communicated by J. ?yst?     

High-spin structure of the neutron-rich 107,109 45Rh isotopes: the role of triaxiality

The ^107,109Rh nuclei have been produced as fission fragments following the fusion reaction ²⁸Si +¹⁷⁶Yb at 145 MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Eurogam2 array. In both nuclei three new rotational bands with the odd proton occupying the πg_9/2, πp_1/2 and π(g_7/2/d_5/2) sub-shells have been observed. In ¹⁰⁷Rh, two other bands involving strong M1 transitions have been identified at excitation energy larger than 2 MeV. They can be interpreted in terms of three quasiparticle excitations. In addition new structures consisting of four transitions, built on states located at low excitation energy (680 keV in ¹⁰⁷Rh and 642 keV in ¹⁰⁹Rh), point out the importance of triaxial deformation in these two isotopes. Received: 1 September 1999     

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     

Time-dependent analysis of tunneling effect in the formation of ultracold molecules via photoassociation of laser-cooled atoms

The paper contains a time-dependent investigation of the tunneling effect observed in the photoassociation spectrum of Cs₂ and attributed to the 0_g ^-(6s, 6p _3/2) double well. When by photoassociation of two cold cesium atoms a vibrational level of the outer well is populated, tunneling is an efficient mechanism for transferring the population to the inner well (R < 15a ₀), where spontaneous emission may lead to formation of cold molecules in low vibrational levels of the a ³Σ⁺ _u(6s, 6s) electronic state. This tunneling effect is analyzed by wavepackets propagation, first considering the double well potential alone, and following a packet made by a superposition of states initially located at large distances. Characteristic times for the vibration dynamics, corresponding to a beating phenomenon between the two wells, to partial “revival” at large distances, and to maxima in the population localized in the inner well are reported and discussed. Second, we simulate the two-channels a ³Σ⁺ _u(6s, 6s)↦0_g ^-(6s, 6p _3/2) photoassociation at detunings around 2.9 cm^-1: the inner well can be populated either by the excitation of a vibrational level of the external well (resonant excitation), or by tuning the photoassociation laser at the energy of the inner well level which displays tunneling (“off-resonance excitation”). In the first case the photoassociation is efficient, while the tunneling probability is small; in the second, the tunneling probability is large, so that despite the poor efficiency of the photoassociation process, more population can be transferred to the inner well. This second choice is shown to be very sensitive to the laser intensity, which could be used to control the population of the inner well and hence the formation of ultracold molecules in low vibrational levels. Received 19 April 2002 Published online 1st October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: francoise.masnou@lac.u-psud.fr     

Electronic excitation and singlet-triplet coupling in uracil tautomers and uracil-water complexes

Electronic spectra of uracil in its diketo (lactam) form and five enol (lactim) tautomeric forms have been investigated by means of combined density functional and configuration interaction methods. We have simulated the effects of hydrogen bonding with a protic solvent by recomputing the spectrum of uracil in the presence of two, four, or six water molecules. Geometries of the electronic ground state and several low-lying excited states have been optimized. Spin-orbit coupling has been determined for correlated wavefunctions employing a non-empirical spin-orbit mean-field approach. In accord with experiment, we find the diketo tautomer to be the most stable one. The calculations confirm that the first absorption band arises from the ¹( π↦π^*) S ₀↦S ₂ excitation. The experimentally observed vibrational structure in this band originates from a breathing mode of the six ring. Complexation with water molecules is seen to cause a significant blue shift of n↦π^* excitations while leaving π↦π^* excitations nearly uninfluenced. Computed radiative lifetimes are presented for the experimentally known weak phosphorescence from the π↦π^* excited T₁ state. Among the uracil lactim tautomers, one is particularly interesting from a spectroscopic point of view. In this tautomer, the π↦π^* excitation gives rise to the S₁ state. Received 18 February 2002 / Received in final form 5 June 2002 Published online 13 September 2002     

Rotational alignment of the h11/2 band in 157Dy

High-spin states of ¹⁵⁷Dy were investigated using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy techniques with a ¹⁵⁰Nd(¹²C, 5n) reaction. Three rotational bands with the h _9/2, i _13/2 and h _11/2 configurations were observed up to (43/2^-), 53/2⁺ and 45/2^-, respectively. Interband M1 transitions in the h _11/2 (high-Ω) band were also measured up to the highest-spin state. The high-spin states were well reproduced by calculations using the tilted-axis-cranking model (TAC). The B(M1)/B(E2) ratio, Routhian and the tilted angle of the angular-momentum vector are found to be in good agreement with the result of the TAC calculation. Received: 22 August 2002 / Accepted: 26 September 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: hayakawa@jball4.tokai.jaeri.go.jp Communicated by W. Henning     

Smectic-A edge dislocations in a very thin cell

We study stable “bookshelf” smectic-A structures within a very thin plane-parallel cell of thickness L in which the mismatch between surface preferred (d _s) and intrinsic (d₀) smectic layer thicknesses occurs. The Landau-Ginzburg approach based on a complex smectic order parameter is used. For a weak enough smectic positional anchoring strength W smectic layers adopt the modified bookshelf profile. In a thick enough cell with increasing W a lattice of edge dislocations is continuously formed at the confining surfaces and then depinned from them. The structure with dislocations is formed when the condition d ₀/( d ₀/d _s - 1) ∼ 2 is fulfilled, where is the positional surface anchoring extrapolation length. If the cell is thin enough the dislocations formed at opposite cell plates annihilate and consequently the smectic layers adopt a locked bookshelf structure. This transition is discontinuous and takes place when d ₀/(L d ₀/d _s - 1) ∼ 5 is realized. To observe these transitions in a cell of thickness L∼ 1μm the conditions W∼ 10^-6 J/m ² and d ₀/d _s - 1∼ 5 ^. 10^-4 have to be fulfilled. All the three qualitatively different structures coexist at the triple point. Received 21 February 2002     

Mirror decay of 75Sr

The β-decay of ⁷⁵Sr to its mirror nucleus ⁷⁵Rb was studied at the ISOLDE PSB facility at CERN by means of β-delayed γ and proton spectroscopy. The decay Q-value and β-delayed γ intensity were measured for the first time. These results, 10.60±0.22 MeV and 4.5^+1.9 _-0.7%, together with accurate measurements of the β-decay half-life and β-delayed proton branching ratio yielded the Gamow-Teller strength 0.35±0.05 for the mirror transition. Implications of the results on studies of deformation effects and on the path of the rapid proton capture process are discussed. Received: 26 September 2002 / Accepted: 30 October 2002 / Published online: 18 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: jussi.huikari@phys.jyu.lfi Communicated by D. Schwalm     

New region of deformation in the neutron-rich 60 24Cr36 and 62 24Cr38

The neutron-rich nuclei ₂₃ ^60-63V have been produced at GANIL via interactions of a 61.8A·MeV ⁷⁶Ge beam with a ⁵⁸Ni target. Beta-decay to ₂₄ ^60-63Cr has been investigated using combined β- and γ-ray spectroscopy. Half-lives of the ^60-63V nuclei have been determined, and the existence of a beta-decay isomer in the ⁶⁰V nucleus is strongly supported. The observation of low-energy 2⁺ states in ⁶⁰Cr (646keV) and ⁶²Cr (446keV) suggests that these isotopes are strongly deformed with β₂ ∼ 0.3. This is confirmed by shell model calculations which show the dominant influence of the intruder g and d orbitals to obtain low 2⁺ energies in the neutron-rich Cr isotopes. Received: 13 June 2002 / Accepted: 27 August 2002 / Published online: 17 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: sorlin@ipno.in2p3.fr Communicated by D. Guerreau     

The beryllium atom and beryllium positive ion in strong magnetic fields

The ground and a few excited states of the beryllium atom in external uniform magnetic fields are calculated by means of our 2D mesh Hartree-Fock method for field strengths ranging from zero up to 2.35×10⁹ T. With changing field strength the ground state of the Be atom undergoes three transitions involving four different electronic configurations which belong to three groups with different spin projections S _z = 0, - 1, - 2. For weak fields the ground state configuration arises from the 1s ²2s ², S _z = 0 configuration. With increasing field strength the ground state evolves into the two S _z = - 1 configurations 1s ²2s2p _-1 and 1s ²2p _-13d _-2, followed by the fully spin polarised S _z = - 2 configuration 1s2p _-13d _-24f _-3. The latter configuration forms the ground state of the beryllium atom in the high field regime γ > 4.567. The analogous calculations for the Be ⁺ ion provide the sequence of the three following ground state configurations: 1s^22s and 1s ²2p _-1 (S _z = - 1/2) and 1s2p _-13d _-2 (S _z = - 3/2). Received 2 October 2000 and Received in final form 8 January 2001     

Measurement of 2+ 1 level lifetimes in 162Yb and 162Er by fast electronic scintillation timing

Lifetime measurements for the 2⁺ ₁ levels of ¹⁶²Er and ¹⁶²Yb were obtained in β⁺/ɛ decay at the Yale Moving Tape Collector by fast electronic scintillation timing of β⁺γ coincidences. Received: 2 September 2002 / Accepted: 1 October 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: mark.caprio@yale.edu Communicated by J. ?yst?     

Polarization observables in the reaction pn↦dφ

The reaction pn↦dφ is studied within a covariant boson exchange model. The behavior of polarization observables being accessible in forthcoming experiments near threshold is predicted. Received: 13 February 2001 / Accepted: 25 March 2002     

High-spin states in <Superscript>36</Superscript>Ar and their underlying shell model configurations

Eight high-spin states in ³⁶Ar below 10MeV excitation energy, among them a prospective J ^π = 8^- state at 9408keV and the J? 8 levels of the recently discovered superdeformed rotational band, have been observed by n-γ coincidence measurements with the ³³S(α, nγ) reaction at E _α = 14.4 and 13.4MeV. High-spin assignments of, respectively, J ^π = 6⁺ and 5^- were obtained for the E _p = 1209 and 1462keV (E _x = 9682 and 9927keV) resonances of the ³⁵Cl (p,γ) reaction by a measurement of γ-ray angular distributions. The spectrum of the high-spin and of the E _x? 7.4MeV levels is decomposed according to the underlying shell model configurations with n = 0, 1, 2, 4 particles excited from the N = 2 into the N = 3 major shell. The role of four-particle excitations, all connected with large prolate distortions, is elucidated for the entire A = 36-40 mass region. Received: 21 December 2001 / Accepted: 25 March 2002     

Exclusive charge exchange reaction pD↦n(pp) within the Bethe-Salpeter formalism

The exclusive charge exchange reaction pD↦n(pp) at intermediate and high energies is studied within the Bethe-Salpeter formalism. The final-state interaction in the detected pp pair at nearly zero excitation energy is described by the ¹ S ₀ component of the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude. Results of numerical calculations of polarization observables and differential cross-section persuade that, as in the non-relativistic case, this reaction i) can be utilized as a “relativistic deuteron polarimeter” and ii) delivers further information about the elementary nucleon-nucleon charge exchange amplitude. Received: 26 November 2002 / Accepted: 30 January 2003 / Published online: 29 April 2003     

Studies with one- and two-proton drip line nuclei

In recent experiments at GANIL, we studied nuclei at the one- and two-proton drip line. The production rates allowed to search for direct 2p emission in the drip line nuclei ⁴²Cr, ⁴⁵Fe, and ⁴⁹Ni. No evidence for this decay mode was found in ⁴²Cr and ⁴⁹Ni, whereas the situation stays unclear for ⁴⁵Fe due to the limited statistics. In the medium-mass region ( A = 50-70), the half-life was measured for all proton-rich nuclei in the range T _z = 0 to T _z = - 1 between Z = 27 and Z = 36. First half-lives were determined for ⁶⁰Ga, ⁶²Ge, ⁶⁴As and ⁶⁶Se. Finally, β-decay studies of the 0⁺ → 0⁺ decay of ⁶²Ga have been performed at IGISOL in Jyv?skyl?. Non-analog transitions have been observed and are compared to theoretical predictions. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: blank@cenbg.in2p3.fr     

First measurement of the helicity-dependent γ p?pη differential cross-section

The helicity dependence of the γ p↦pη reaction has been measured for the first time at a center-of-mass angle θ^* _η = 70^° in the photon energy range from 780 MeV to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4π-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. The helicity 3/2 cross-section is found to be small and the results for helicity 1/2 agree with predictions from the MAID analysis. Received: 19 December 2002 / Accepted: 10 March 2003 / Published online: 20 May 2003     

High-spin structure of the neutron-rich odd-odd 106, 108 45Rh and 110, 112 47Ag isotopes

The ^{106, 108}Rh and ^{110, 112}Ag nuclei have been produced as fission fragments following the fusion reaction ²⁸Si + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 145 MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Eurogam2 array. The yrast high-spin states of these four odd-odd nuclei, which are observed for the first time, consist of rotational bands in which the odd proton occupies the πg _9/2 subshell and the odd neutron the νh _11/2 subshell. Their behaviour as a function of spin values does not vary with the number of neutrons: as observed in the odd-N neighbouring nuclei, the motion of the odd neutron remains decoupled from the motion of the core, from N = 61 to N = 65. Moreover, the staggering observed in the yrast bands of odd-odd isotopes is strongly reduced as compared to the large values displayed by the rotational bands built on the πg _9/2 subshell in the odd-A Rh and Ag isotopes. The results of particle-rotor calculations indicate that this reduction is related to a change of the core deformation. Received: 1 June 2001 / Accepted: 23 July 2002 / Published online: 10 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: NAC, Faure, ZA 7131, South Africa. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: Department of Nuclear Physics, ANU, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia. Communicated by D. Schwalm