The (p,t) reactions on nuclei in the rare earth region

The (p, t) reactions on isotopic targets of ^{178, 180}Hf and all the stable isotopes of Yb and on natural targets of Gd, Dy, Er, Hf, Ta, W, Os and Au were studied at a beam energy of 19 MeV with an average resolution of 12 keV. A split-pole magnetic spectrometer was used to measure (p, t) Q-values and absolute differential cross sections. On the basis of angular distribution shapes definite 0⁺ and tentative 2⁺ assignments were made. Rotational bands were identified assuming an I(I+1) spacing. The (p, t) reaction populates excited 0⁺ states strongly in ¹⁷⁴Yb, ¹⁷⁶Hf, ¹⁶⁶Yb and several Gd, Dy and Er isotopes. The ¹⁷⁴Yb and ¹⁷⁶Hf 0⁺ states are discussed in terms of the pairing phase transition and in terms of Nilsson orbitals with unequal (p, t) reaction amplitudes. Members of gamma and octupole vibrational bands were observed in the even-N nuclei. The lowest L = 0 transfers to states in ^{169, 171}Yb were found to have less than 55% of the strength to ground states in adjacent even-N nuclei. A strong L = 0 transfer to a state at 1513 keV in ¹⁷¹Yb indicates the presence of a possible K = 0 core vibration coupled to the unpaired $\text{5}\text{2}$[512] neutron. The natural targets have furnished information on trends in cross sections for members of ground bands, gamma bandheads, 3^? octupole states, and strongly excited 0⁺ states.     

Levels in 161Tm excited in the decay of 4.2 min 161Yb

The decay of ¹⁶¹Yb ($\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 4.2}\text{min}$) has been investigated with Ge(Li) and Si(Li) detectors and a toroidal β-spectrometer. Isobarically separated samples produced by the YASNAPP facility at Dubna Institute were used. The singles γ-ray spectrum, the conversion electron spectrum, γ-γ-τ and e-γ coincidences have been measured. In all, 67 γ-ray transitions have been observed. A decay scheme for ¹⁶¹Yb is proposed involving 12 excited states in ¹⁶¹Tm. The $\text{7}\text{2}$⁺[404], $\text{7}\text{2}$^?[523] and $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺[402] levels have been identified. The interpretation of the high-lying levels is discussed. The Q-value of ¹⁶¹Yb decay has been determined to be 3850 ± 250 keV. The A-dependence of the energies of the one-quasiparticle states in odd-A Tm isotopes is demonstrated.     

An isomeric two-particle state in 236U

A new isomeric state with 125 ± 20 ns half-life has been found in a ²³⁵U(d, pγ)²³⁶U experiments. Of the 12 observed delayed λ-lines, 11 have been fitted into a tentative decay scheme. The isomeric level is deduced to be the K, J^π = 4,4^? two-quasineutron state at 1052 keV with configuration $\text{[743]}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$; $\text{[631]}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ that is also seen in (d, p) experiments.     

The 154Eu(t,p) reaction: Some new systematics in the N = 90 spherical-deformed transition region

A radioactive target of ¹⁵⁴Eu(8.3y) has been used to study the ¹⁵⁴Eu(t, p)¹⁵⁶Eu reaction at an incident energy of 17 MeV. The bandhead and one rotational state of the configuration have been identified in ¹⁵⁶Eu. The excitation energy of the 3^? bandhead is determined to be 448 ± 15 keV. The angular distribution of the first excited rotational state is anamolous and may indicate evidence for a strong two-step component in the reaction mechanism. The energy systematics of the Eu-Sm transition region are also investigated. We find that the systematics of $\text{h}\text{?}{}^2\text{2}\text{I}$ suggest that at N = 87 the ¹⁵⁰Eu excited configurations has a significantly more stable deformed structure than the corresponding $\text{11}\text{2}\text{[505]}$ one-quasiparticle structure in ¹⁴⁹Sm.     

The rotational bands 12+[411]and 12−[541]in 175Lu

In a study of the γ-radiation emitted in the reaction ¹⁷⁶Yb(p, 2n) excited states of the nucleus ¹⁷⁵Lu up to spin I = $\text{13}\text{2}$ have been investigated. The main results concern the rotational bands $\text{1}\text{2}$⁺ [411]and $\text{1}\text{2}$^? [541]with the corresponding band heads found at 626.60 and 370.88 keV, respectively. The half-life of the $\text{1}\text{2}$⁺[411] level has been determined to be $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 10.7±0.5}\text{ns}$. Furthermore, the band heads $\text{3}\text{2}$^?[532]and $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$[411]are proposed at energies of 999.0 and 1150.8 keV, respectively. Experimental E1 transition probabilities between both $\text{K =}\text{1}\text{2}$ bands are compared with calculations including the Coriolis and pairing effects, as well as theoretically deduced quadrupole deformation parameters.     

Coulomb excitation of 115Sn

Coulomb excitation of the nucleus ¹¹⁵Sn was studied with beams of ⁴He and ¹⁶O. Level energies, spins, mean-lives and B(E2) and B(M1) transition probabilities were obtained. Spin $\text{3}\text{2}$⁺ states were observed at 497.35 and 1280.08 keV and spin $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺ states were observed at 986.54 and 1416.78 keV. A state of 612.79 keV was observed to be indirectly excited by decay of the Coulomb excited states. Eleven B(E2) values and nine B(M1) values were obtained for the transitions between the low-lying states. In contrast to previous particle transfer results which suggested a clear distinction between shell-model and collective $\text{3}\text{2}$⁺ and $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺ states, our results suggest the collective strength is shared by the two $\text{3}\text{2}$⁺ and two $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺ states.     

The level structure of 184W FROM THE β− decay of 184Ta

Levels of ¹⁸⁴W populated in the decay of 8.7 h ¹⁸⁴Ta have been studied by a variety of experimental techniques. As a result of β and γ-ray energy and intensity determinations and extensive β-γ and γ-γ coincidence measurements, a detailed ¹⁸⁴Ta decay scheme accommodating more than 99.5% of the decay intensity has been established. Intense β-ray groups of end-point energies 1165±26 and 1123±26 keV populate levels in ¹⁸⁴W at 1699 and 1746 keV, which de-excite predominantly to the 8.3 μs isomeric level at 1285 keV, recently identified as the $\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[510]ν?}\text{11}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{[615]ν K}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{= 5}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ band origin. The 1699 keV level also de-excites to members of a $\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[510]ν?}\text{7}\text{2}\text{[503]ν K}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{= 3}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ band based at 1425 keV. New information about the properties of the γ-vibrational and K = 2 octupole bands in ¹⁸⁴W is presented and the possible configurations of the levels directly populated in the β^? decay are discussed. The configuration $\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{[404]π ?}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{[512]ν K}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{= 5}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ is indicated for the ¹⁸⁴Ta ground state.     

Collective excitations in the 123, 125I nuclei

The odd-proton nuclei ¹²³I and ¹²⁵I have been studied in the reactions ¹²¹Sb(α, 2n)¹²³I and ¹²³Sb(α, 2n)¹²⁵I, respectively. The level schemes, spin and parity assignments are based on results obtained from singles γ-ray spectra (E_α = 27 MeV) and excitation functions, from measurements of delayed γ-rays, γ-γ coincidences, internal conversion electrons and γ-ray angular distributions. High-spin positive- and negative-parity bands with energies up to 2948 keV and spins up to $\text{23}\text{2}$ in ¹²³I and with energies up to 3775 keV and spins up to $\text{27}\text{2}\text{in}{}^{125}\text{I}$ have been established. In the decay schemes of both nuclei two separated structures of levels have been observed. One group of levels shows a strong ΔJ = 2 quasirotational pattern predicted by the particle-vibration coupling model. The ΔJ = 1 sequence on a $\text{9}\text{2}$⁺ state is assigned as a rotational structure built on the axially symmetric deformed state $\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{[404]}$. In ¹²³I a 28 ns isomer at 2660.0 keV has been found.     

Level structure of 184W from the 183W(n, γ) reaction

The level structure of ¹⁸⁴W has been studied from the prompt γ-rays emitted following the capture of both thermal and 2 keV neutrons by ¹⁸³W. Energies and intensities were measured for both the primary and the secondary (low-energy) prompt γ-rays. From these data, a level scheme is proposed for ¹⁸⁴W in which all the I^π = 0⁺, 1⁺ and 2⁺ states below ≈ 2.0 MeV are observed. Where possible, rotational-band assignments have been made to these and other levels. Additional evidence is presented which confirms the 1130 keV state as being the band head of a K^π = 2^? octupole vibrational band. Admixed K^π = 0⁺ and 2⁺ bands are established at 1322 and 1386 keV, respectively, with the I^π = 2⁺ states (at 1431 and 1386 keV) having a mutual admixture of ≈ 12%. In the energy region above 1.5 MeV, the following bands and band-head energies are identified: K^π = 1⁺, 1613 keV; K^π = 0⁺, 1614 keV; K^π = 1⁺, 1713 keV; K^π = 2⁺, 1877 keV. The neutron binding energy in ¹⁸⁴W has been determined to be 7411.1±0.6 keV. The band structure of the 1613 keV (1⁺) and 1614 keV (0⁺) bands is observed to be strongly distorted, the observed $\text{A (}\text{h}\text{?}{}^2\text{/2}\text{I}\text{)}$ values being ≈ 3.6 keV and ≈ 32 keV, respectively. This strong distortion is shown to be explainable in terms of Coriolis coupling of reasonable strength between the two bands. A similar explanation is shown to account for the somewhat less anomalous A-values (22.8 keV and 14.0 keV, respectively) of the 2⁺ band at 1386 keV and the 3⁺ band at 1425 keV. The results of a phenomenological fiveband-mixing analysis involving the K^π = 0⁺ and 2⁺ bands below ≈ 1.5 MeV are presented and discussed. These calculations indicate, among other things, that the direct E2 matrix element connecting the 1322 keV, K^π = 0⁺ band and the ground-state band is quite small, possibly zero. They also indicate that a nonzero E2 matrix element exists between this excited K^π = 0⁺ band and the γ-vibrational band and that the magnitude of this element is comparable with that between the γ-vibrational and ground-state bands. Arguments favoring and apparently refuting the interpretation of the 1322 keV, 0⁺ band as a “two-phonon γ-vibration” are presented.     

The decay of 159Tm (9.0 min) to 159Er

The decay of ¹⁵⁹Tm ($\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 9.0±0.4min}$) has been investigated with Ge(Li) andSi(Li) detectors, B-spectrographs and a toroidal spectrometer using isotopically separated samples produced by the YASNAPP facility at Dubna. The singles γ-ray spectrum, the conversion electron spectrum, the positron spectrum, prompt and delayed γ-γ coincidences were measured. Using strong thulium activities, conversion electrons were also measured with high resolution b-spectrographs. In the ¹⁵⁹Tm decay 81 new γ-ray transitions were observed. A decay scheme of ¹⁵⁹Tm is proposed involving 12 excited states in ¹⁵⁹Er. The first members of the rotational bands $\text{3}\text{2}$^?[521], $\text{5}\text{2}$^?[523], $\text{3}\text{2}$⁺[402 + 651], $\text{11}\text{2}$^?505 and $\text{7}\text{2}$^?[514] and the $\text{5}\text{2}$, $\text{7}\text{2}$ and $\text{9}\text{2}$ states of a strongly perturbed positive parity band were identified. The Q-value of ¹⁵⁹Tm was determined to be 3.4±0.3 MeV.     

Nuclear levels in 238Np

Low and high energy spectra from thermal neutron capture in ²³⁷Np have been studied over the energy ranges 25 to 650 keV and 2600 to 5500 keV. Primary transitions from neutron capture in four resonances have been observed between about 4800 and 5400 keV. Using 12 MeV deuterons, (d, p) spectra at three angles have been observed with a magnetic spectrograph. A nuclear level scheme for ²³⁸Np has been constructed by combining the results of the above measurements with previous data from a study of the ^242mAm α-decay. The Nilsson model has been used to interpret the level structure. Including results from the previous α-decay study, nine rotational bands can be assigned. The Nilsson configurations (K^π [Nn₃ΛΣ]) and band-head energies are: 2⁺π[642↑]?ν[631↓], 0.0 keV; 3⁺π[642↑]+ν[631↓], 86.6 keV; 3^?π[523↓]+ν[631↓], 136.0 keV; 2^?π[523↓]?ν[631↓], 182.8 keV; 5⁺π[642↑]+ν[622↑], 278.1 keV; 0⁺π[642↑]?ν[622↑], 332.5 keV; 5^?π[523↓]+ν[622↑], 342.6 keV; 0^?π[523↓]?ν[622↑], 286.0 keV; 6^?π[642↑]+ν[743↑], 301 keV. The measured (d, p) reaction cross sections are compared with theoretical calculations based on these assignments. The Gallagher-Moszkowski rule is found to be valid in the four cases where we have observed both parallel and antiparallel coupled bands with $\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{= Ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{+Ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}$ and $\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{= |Ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{?Ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{|}$. The lowest levels of the two K = 0 bands have spin I = 1; Newby odd-even shifts can be determined in both cases.     

Study of Coriolis-decoupled bands in 155, 157, 159Dy and 155, 157, 159Er using (α, xnγ) reactions

Levels in ^{155, 157, 159}Dy and in ^{155, 157, 159}Er have been populated using (α, xnγ) reactions where x = 5, 7 or 9. The resulting γ-rays have been investigated using in-beam y-spectroscopic techniques. Mixed positive-parity bands were predominantly populated and are identified with the Coriolis-deeoupled bands described in the framework of the rotation-alignment model of Stephens and coworkers. In the case of ¹⁵⁷Dy the band was observed up to the $\text{49}\text{2}$⁺ state. The absence of the backbending effect in these nuclei can be explained by the blocking of certain $\text{13}\text{2}$ neutron orbitals near the Fermi surface which are essential for the development of the baekbending mechanism.     

Evidence for shape coexistence in 151Eu

Although the ground states of ¹⁵¹Eu and ¹⁵³Eu both have $\text{I}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, the (p, t) transition connecting these states is extremely weak. A level at 261 keV with a large (p, t) cross section is assigned as the deformed $\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$[413] state in the “spherical” nucleus ¹⁵¹Eu.     

Intrinsic and rotational excitations in 175Lu

The γ-ray cascades following the ¹⁷⁶Yb(p, 2n)¹⁷⁵Lu reaction are studied with Ge(Li) detectors and interpreted within the level scheme of ¹⁷⁵Lu. According to this interpretation the $\text{1}\text{2}$⁺[411], $\text{1}\text{2}$^?[541], $\text{5}\text{2}$⁺[402], $\text{7}\text{2}$⁺[404] and $\text{9}\text{2}$^?[514] rotat $\text{15}\text{2}$⁺, $\text{21}\text{2}$^?, $\text{13}\text{2}$⁺, $\text{19}\text{2}$⁺ and $\text{19}\text{2}$^? members, respectively. Fu band head is determined to be 626.6 keV. The data for the rotational bands are discussed within the particle-rotor model and compared with the available information on the corresponding bands in the adjacent Lu isotopes.     

Electron capture decay of 245Bk (4.90 d) and 246Bk (1.80 d)

The electron capture decay schemes of ²⁴⁵Bk and ²⁴⁶Bk have been investigated by measuring the γ-ray and conversion-electron spectra of mass-separated ²⁴⁵Bk and ²⁴⁶Bk samples. The γ-ray spectra were measured with a 25 cm³ Ge(Li) spectrometer and the conversion-electron spectra were measured with a cooled Si (Li) detector. Multipolarities of most of the transitions in ²⁴⁵Cm and ²⁴⁶Cm were deduced. The half-lives of ²⁴⁵Bk and ²⁴⁶Bk were determined by following the decay of the 252.85 and 798.7 keV photopeaks and were found to be 4.90 ± 0.03 d and 1.80 ± 0.02 d, respectively. The α/(α+EC) ratio for the ²⁴⁵Bk decay was measured to be (1.2 ± 0.1) × 10^?3. On the basis of the present investigation the following non-rotational states were identified in ²⁴⁵Cm: $\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ [624], 0; $\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$[622], 252.85; $\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ 355.95; $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ vibrational, 633.65; and $\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$[620], 740.95 keV. The $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ state at 633.65 keV is int as a K_π = 2^? phonon coupled to the i$\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$[624] single-particle state. Our measurements of ²⁴⁶Bk γ-ray and conversion-electron energies and intensities confirm previous level assignments in ²⁴⁶Cm.     

A study of the rotational side-bands in 162Dy

Rotational side-bands in ¹⁶²Dy have been studied using the ¹⁶⁰Gd(α, 2nγ)¹⁶²Dy reaction. Seven side-bands are observed, with K^π = 2⁺, 2^?, (0)^?, 0⁺, 5^?, 4⁺ and (6^?). Four of these bands have collective structure at low spin: the K^π = 2⁺γ-vibrational band, the K^π = 0⁺β-vibrational band, and the K^π = 2^? and (0)^? octupole vibrational bands. Of the remaining bands, the 4⁺ band is deformation coupled while the 5^? and (6^?) bands are rotation-aligned. Several bandcrossings are observed in this nucleus. The β and γ-bands are crossed at $\text{I = 6}\text{h}\text{?}\text{and}\text{12}\text{h}\text{?}$, respectively, by a highly aligned ($\text{i}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>13</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$)² S-band; extrapolation of this S-band to higher spin suggests that it crosses the g.s.b. between $\text{I = 18}\text{h}\text{?}\text{and}\text{20}\text{h}\text{?}$. The 2^? octupole band is crossed by the 5^? band at $\text{I = 9}\text{h}\text{?}$ and again by the (6^?) band at $\text{I = 12}\text{h}\text{?}$. The latter bandcrossings are discussed in terms of two-quasiparticle plus rotor calculations.     

Spins and mixing ratios in 138Ba

The spin assignments to the 1899 (4⁺), 2308 (3⁺ or 4⁺) and 2446 (3⁺) keV levels in ¹³⁸Ba have been confirmed by γ-γ directional correlation measurements. In addition, the multipolarity and $\text{E2}\text{M1}$ mixing parameters for a number of transitions have been established as follows: 409 keV (M1+E2, ?0.75 < δ < ?0.45 or ?0.85 < δ < ?0.05 depending on the choice of J^π = 3⁺ or 4⁺ for the initial state), 463 keV (E2, 0 < δ < 0.15 for $\text{M3}\text{E2}$ admixture), 547 keV (M1+E2, ?0.06 < δ < ?0.015), 872 keV (M1+E2, δ undefined) and 1010 keV (M1+E2, ?0.015 < δ < +0.020).     

Rotational sidebands in 166Er

Rotational sidebands in ¹⁶⁶Er were observed using the 24 MeV ¹⁶⁴Dy(α, 2nγ) reactions. The ground-state band was observed up to spin 16⁺ and does not backbend. A strong backbend is, however, observed in a K^π = (O⁺) sideband, indicating that the 12⁺ state of the previously unknown S-band is at 2656 keV. The γ-band shows significant rotational alignment above I = 10⁺. Levels of at least two negative-parity bands, one of which is primarily the K^π = 2^? octupole vibration, are also observed.     

Band crossings at low rotational frequency in 166Yb

The ¹⁶⁶Er(³He, 3nγ) and ¹⁶⁴Er(α, 2nγ) reactions were used to populate rotational side-bands in the N = 96 nucleus ¹⁶⁶Yb. The aligned $\text{v(}\text{i}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>13</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}{}^2$ S-band was observed from I^π = 8⁺to 12⁺, while the β- and γ-vibrational bands were observed from the bandheads to I^π = 10⁺and 12⁺, respectively. Negative-parity bands with K^π = 0^?, (2^?) and 5^? were also observed. Band crossings and interaction effects are seen in both the positive- and negative-parity excitations below about $\text{h}\text{?}\text{ω = 0.25}\text{MeV}$, the frequency at which the first yrast backbend occurs.