The strength of octupole correlations in neutron-rich Xe isotopes

Excited levels in ¹⁴⁰Xe and ¹⁴²Xe nuclei, populated in the spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm, were studied by means of prompt γ-ray spectroscopy, using EUROGAM2 array. We report the first observation of an octupole band in ¹⁴²Xe and extend the octupole band in ¹⁴⁰Xe. Level schemes of ¹⁴⁰Xe and ¹⁴²Xe obtained in this work show patterns characteristic of ocupole-vibrational bands. Properties of octupole bands in Xe isotopes indicate that octupole correlations in these nuclei are lower than in the corresponding Ba nuclei. The electric dipole moment of ¹⁴²Xe was found to be larger than in other Xe isotopes, contrary to theoretical predictions. This may be due to the special role of the N = 88 neutron number. Received: 18 November 2002 / Accepted: 15 December 2002 / Published online: 25 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: urban@fuw.edu.pl Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Modeling a neutron-rich nuclei source

The deuteron break-up process in a suitable converter gives rise to intense neutron beams. A source of neutron-rich nuclei based on the neutron-induced fission can be realised using these beams. A theoretical optimization of such a facility as a function of the incident deuteron energy is reported. The model used to determine the fission products takes into account the excitation energy of the target nucleus and the evaporation of prompt neutrons. Results are presented in connection with a converter-target specific geometry. Received: 1 December 2000 / Accepted: 12 May 2001     

New results on proton emission from odd-odd nuclei

⁷⁸Kr beams were used to bombard ⁵⁸Ni, ⁹²Mo and ⁹⁶Ru, producing three new, odd-odd, proton-emitting isotopes, ¹³⁰Eu, ^164mIr and ¹⁷⁰Au. Preliminary experimental and theoretical results will be presented in this paper. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: mahmud@ph.ed.ac.uk     

New microsecond isomers in 189, 190Bi

The ¹³⁷I nucleus, populated in the spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm has been studied by means of prompt γ-ray spectroscopy using the EUROGAM2 array. Medium-spin yrast excitations in ¹³⁷I were observed for the first time. The experimental level scheme is compared to the shell model calculation with modified Kuo-Herling interaction. The theoretical predictions differ significantly from the experimental results, indicating that the excitation pattern in ¹³⁷I deviates significantly from the shell model scheme. Received: 6 June 2001 / Accepted: 4 October 2001     

Shapes of the neutron-rich 88-94Kr nuclei

Neutron-rich, ^88-94Kr nuclei, populated in spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm, have been studied with EUROGAM 2, by measuring prompt γ-rays. Many new excited states in even-even Kr isotopes have been identified. For the first time spins and parities were determined experimentally in these nuclei. Our results indicate that the quadrupole deformation of Kr isotopes will appear only above N = 58, as observed in Sr and Zr nuclei. The newly found 3^- level at 1506.4 keV in ⁹⁰Kr suggests the exsistence of a new region of increased octupole correlations, probably associated with the ν(d _5/2 h _11/2) pair of Δl = Δj = 3 orbitals. Received: 18 September 2000 / Accepted: 18 October 2000     

Transition to non-collective states at high spin in 124Xe

Excited states in ¹²⁴Xe were populated in the reaction ⁸²Se(⁴⁸Ca, 6n)¹²⁴Xe and γ -ray coincidence relationships were measured with the Gammasphere spectrometer. Two new bands are observed and several of the previously known bands are extended in the high- as well as in the low-spin region. Two irregular high-spin structures are also added. The irregularities are a fingerprint of a transition from collective to non-collective behaviour. Configuration assignments to the new structures are proposed on the basis of systematics and by comparing experimental properties with calculations within the framework of the cranking model.     

First observation of the ν9/2[404] orbital in the A ∼ 100 mass region

A new band, populated by the spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm and studied by means of prompt γ-ray spectroscopy using the EUROGAM2 array, was observed in ⁹⁹Zr. The 1038.8 keV band head with a half-life T _1/2 = 54(10) ns is interpreted as a K-isomer, corresponding to the 9/2[404] neutron-hole excitation. It is the first observation of this orbital in the mass A ∼ 100 region. The quadrupole moment, Q ₀ = 3.9(3) eb deduced for the new band indicates a large deformation of β = 0.41, which is produced by a specific shape-coexistence mechanism, known in other regions and now found in the A ∼ 100 nuclei. Received: 11 September 2002 / Accepted: 31 October 2002 / Published online: 17 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: urban@fuw.edu.pl Communicated by D. Schwalm     

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     

High-spin study of odd- A 49In isotopes beyond the neutron mid-shell

The ^{115, 117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in three reactions induced by heavy ions: ¹²C + ²³⁸U at 90MeV bombarding energy, ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb reaction at 85MeV, and ³¹P + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 152MeV. Their level schemes have been built from gamma-rays detected using the EUROBALL III and IV arrays. High-spin states of ^{117, 119, 121}In nuclei have been identified for the first time. Moreover, isomeric states lying around 2.5MeV have been established in ^{119, 121}In from the delayed coincidences between the fission fragment detector SAPhIR and the gamma array. Most of the observed states can be described by coupling a proton g _9/2 hole to a Sn core, while the intruder band based on an orbital from the π[g _7/2/d _5/2] sub-shells behaves as the ground-state band of neighbouring Cd isotopes. Received: 24 May 2002 / Accepted: 11 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: porquet@csnsm.in2p3.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: CEA-DIF, DAM/DCRE/SDE/LDN, 91680 Bruyères-le-Chatel, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: CSNSM IN2P3-CNRS and Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/Saclay, DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

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     

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     

High-spin states in neutron-rich nuclei explored with deep-inelastic HI reactions

The use of deep-inelastic heavy-ion reactions for the spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei is discussed. Conclusions from the N/Z equilibration process studies are outlined and examples of spectroscopic results obtained for the neutron-rich spdf shell nuclei, N = 82 isotones and nuclei from the ²⁰⁸Pb region are reviewed. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

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     

Decay of the neutron-rich isotope 113Ru to 113Rh

The decay of neutron-rich isotope ¹¹³Ru obtained as on-line mass separated product of proton-induced fission has been investigated by γγ coincidence and spectrum multiscaling measurements. Decay schemes for both low- and high-spin isomers of ¹¹³Ru have been constructed. The level scheme of ¹¹³Rh is considerably extended. Systematics of the lowest-lying rhodium levels is smooth. The picture of shape coexistence established for neutron-rich Rh isotopes near-neutron midshell is confirmed with the observation of a K = 1/2 deformed band, with its 3/2⁺ state at 600 keV being the lowest-lying level and of probable 7/2⁺ and 5/2⁺ band members. A large fraction of β feeding is found to populate high-lying levels in ¹¹³Rh. The GT strength in ¹¹³Ru^m decay is significantly larger than for the decay of ¹¹³Ru_g and of lighter rhodium isotopes. Received: 18 January 2001 / Accepted: 14 January 2002     

Fragment dependence of high energy γ-ray emission in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf

The high energy γ-ray emission accompanying the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf has been measured in coincidence with individual fission fragments selected by discrete γ-ray transitions. The enhancement of the γ-ray emission probability in the energy range E_γ= 3–8 MeV has been observed for the fission fragments in the region of nearly symmetric mass splitting, confirming results reported in previous investigations. The γ-γ coincidence technique employed in the present work clearly demonstrate that the major contribution to this enhancement is caused by the fission channels where one fragment is near to the N= 82 or Z= 50 shell closures. The high energy γ-ray emission probability does not show any significant dependence on the number of neutrons emitted in the fission process, supporting the hypothesis that high energy γ-rays are mainly emitted from the fragments after the neutron evaporation. Received: 22 December 1998     

First identification of rotational bands in 103Tc: Evolution of intrinsic proton states of the 97-105 43Tc isotopes

High-spin states of ¹⁰³ ₄₃Tc have been identified for the first time, this nucleus being produced as fission fragment following the fusion reaction ³⁷Cl + ¹⁷⁶Yb at 170 MeV bombarding energy. The high-spin level scheme has been built from the prompt gamma rays detected using the Euroball III array. It exhibits similarities with those of the neighbouring isotopes and isotones. All the band head configurations observed in the ^97-105Tc isotopes are identified from the behaviour of the rotational bands built on them. The single-proton states located around the Fermi level are discussed as a function of deformation of these nuclei. Received: 19 January 2001 / Accepted: 23 February 2001     

Rotational bands in the doubly odd 130Cs nucleus

The band structures built on the 5^- isomeric state ( T _1/2 = 3.46 m) in the doubly odd ¹³⁰Cs nucleus have been established up to I = 24? via the ¹²⁴Sn(¹¹B, 5n)¹³⁰Cs reaction. The previously observed bands based on the πh _11/2⊗νh _11/2, πg _7/2⊗νh _11/2 and πd _5/2⊗νh _11/2 configurations and a positive-parity side band with multiple connections to the α = 0 signature partner of the yrast πh _11/2⊗νh _11/2 band have been extended to higher spins. A new band based on the πh _11/2⊗νg _7/2 configuration is observed. The yrast πh _11/2⊗νh _11/2 band exhibits anomalous signature splitting whose magnitude decreases up to spin 15 and then increases without restoring the normal signature splitting. Received: 20 February 2001 / Accepted: 9 May 2001     

New nuclide 139Tb and (EC +β+) decay of 138,139Gd

Excited levels in ¹³³Sn and ¹³⁴Sb, populated in spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm, were studied by means of prompt-γ spectroscopy, using the EUROGAM 2 multidetector array. The neutron i _13/2 single-particle energy has been determined for the first time in the ¹³²Sn region. The energy of the h _9/2 neutron level, proposed previously, has been confirmed. Received: 13 January 1999 / Revised version: 22 March 1999     

Magnetic moment measurements in the semi-magic nuclei 94Ru and 95Rh after recoil implantation into iron and nickel

The magnetic moments of the 12⁺ and 11⁻ yrast states in ⁹⁴Ru and of the 25/2⁻, 29/2⁺, and 35/2⁺ levels in ⁹⁵Rh have been measured via the IMPAD technique. The nuclei were produced in the reaction ⁵⁸Ni +⁴⁰Ca and recoil-implanted into polarized Ni and Fe hosts. The g-factors were deduced from the measured time-integral Larmor precessions. The comparison between the experimental results and large-scale shell model calculations suggests that the 12⁺ and 11⁻ states in ⁹⁴Ru and the 25/2⁻ level in ⁹⁵Rh are pure proton states whereas the 29/2⁺ and 35/2⁺ states in ⁹⁵Rh contain a neutron excitation across the N=50 shell gap. This interpretation supports the conclusion drawn from recent lifetime measurements. Received: 2 June 1999     

A simple model for doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei

Nuclear structure of doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei with mass A ∼ 130 is investigated within the framework of a simple model where the even-even core couples with a neutron and a proton in intruder orbitals through a quadrupole-quadrupole interaction. The model reproduces quite well the energy levels of doublet bands and electromagnetic transitions. The staggering of the ratios B(M1;I → I - 1)/B(E2;I → I - 2) of the yrast bands turns out to be described by the chopsticks-like motion of two angular momenta of the unpaired neutron and the unpaired proton when they are weakly coupled with the core.-1 An erratum to this article is available at .