New insight in the level structure of <Superscript>153</Superscript>Er

The high-spin level structure of the ¹⁵³Er nucleus has been reinvestigated by in-beam γ-ray and electron spectroscopy with (¹⁴N,pxn) reaction. Excitation energies, spin and parity assignments are unambiguously established for the two lowest isomers T _1/2≃ 380 ns and T_1/2\simeq 10 ns. The characteristics of the third one (T _1/2≃ 250 ns) at 5.2 MeV are still questionable but its main decay modes are better known. An extension of the level scheme is proposed up to 8.4 MeV.Experimental results have been discussed in terms of shell model multiplets and compared with the other structures observed in N=85 neighbouring nuclei. Received: 8 November 1999 / Revised version: 13 December 1999     

Yrast level structure of the neutron-deficient N = 80 isotones 146Dy, 147Ho and 148Er up to high-spin values

High-spin level schemes of the N = 80 isotones ¹⁴⁶Dy, ¹⁴⁷Ho and ¹⁴⁸Er have been investigated by in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic methods using the NORDBALL Compton-suppressed multidetector array including proton and neutron selection. The projectile-target system ⁵⁸Ni + ⁹²Mo at 260 MeV beam energy has been used to produce the neutron-deficient N = 80 isotones. The previously known schemes have been extended to considerably higher spin and exitation energy, up to I = 23?, E _x≈ 8.9 MeV in ¹⁴⁶Dy, I = 53/2?, E _x≈ 8.7 MeV in ¹⁴⁷Ho and I = 23?, E _x≈ 9.6 MeV in ¹⁴⁸Er. The results are discussed in terms of the spherical shell model. Many of the levels can be described within this framework. Received: 12 January 2001 / Accepted: 11 April 2001     

Excited states in neutron-rich 188W produced by an 18O-induced 2-neutron transfer reaction

Excited states in neutron-rich ¹⁸⁸W have been populated using a ¹⁸⁶W(¹⁸O,¹⁶O) reaction. In-beam γ-rays were measured in coincidence with scattered particles detected by a high-resolution ΔE-E Si telescope. In this experiment, the ground-state band has been identified up to I ^π = 8⁺. The γ band, the K ^π = 2^- octupole band, and a 2-quasiparticle state were also observed. The results are compared with predictions of self-consistent HFB cranking calculations and blocked-BCS multi-quasiparticle calculations.     

Decay properties of neutron-deficient nuclei in the region Z = 86–92

Neutron deficient isotopes of elements Z = 86-92 have been produced by heavy-ion fusion reactions ¹²C + ²⁰⁸Pb, ²⁰⁹Bi, ²²Ne + ²⁰⁸Pb, ⁵¹V + ¹⁷⁰Er, and ⁵⁰Ti + ¹⁷⁰Er. The evaporation residues were investigated by means of α- and α-γ-spectroscopy after in-flight separation from the projectile beam by the velocity filter SHIP and implantation into a 16-strip position-sensitive Si-detector. New or improved decay data for ^{225, 226}U, ^{216, 217m, 218}Pa, ^{215, 216, 217}Th, ^{214, 215, 216, 216m}Ac, ²¹⁴Ra and ²¹³Rn have been obtained. Received: 5 April 2000 / Accepted: 28 July 2000     

New investigation of the decay of the high-spin isomer in 151Er

The decay of the T _1/2 = 420 ns isomer in ¹⁵¹Er has been reinvestigated. The multipolarities of the decaying transitions have been established by measuring the electron conversion coefficients. An I ^π = 67/2⁻ assignment is proposed for this isomer with a π[h ₁₁^2/4 d ₃^2/1 d ₅^2/−1]⊗ν[f _7/2 h _9/2 h ₁₁^2/−1] configuration.     

57Fe and 166Er Mössbauer and magnetic studies of RFe4B (R = Er,Tm, Lu) compounds

Magnetic and Mössbauer studies have been carried out on a series of ternary borides RFe₄B (R = Er, Tm, Lu) which have the hexagonal CeCo₄B type structure. These compounds are found to be magnetically ordered at room temperature. Magnetization studies in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K reveal the presence of compensation temperatures in Er and Tm compounds and indicate antiferromagnetic coupling between the rare earth and Fe moments. Room temperature ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer studies yield values of hyperfine fields at the two Fe sites as 246 and 185 kOe in ErFe₄B and TmFe₄B, and 204 and 145 kOe in LuFe₄B. The ¹⁶⁶Er Mössbauer studies give nearly free-ion hyperfine field at the Er sites which indicates that the exchange interaction in ErFe₄B is much stronger than crystal field interaction.     

Structure of the odd-odd-nucleus 84Nb

The nucleus ⁸⁴Nb has been studied with the ⁵⁸Ni(²⁸Si,pnγ) reaction at 90 MeV. Several rotational structures are established and connected to an irregular low-energy level scheme which includes one isomeric level whose decay was observed before. Received: 23 July 1998 / Revised version: 30 November 1998     

High spin states and evidence for octupole correlations in 117Xe

High-spin states of ¹¹⁷Xe were investigated by means of in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic techniques via the reaction of ²⁸Si bombarding a ⁹²Mo target at beam energies of 100-120 MeV. A positive-parity rotational band decaying into the yrast negative-parity band by a series of enhanced E1 transitions was observed for the first time, implying the existence of octupole correlations in ¹¹⁷Xe. The B(E1) values increase with spin. The νd_5/2 band was firmly established up to 27/2⁺ and the B(M1)/B(E2) ratios were extracted from the relative intensities of γ-rays in this band. The previously known νh_11/2 and νg_7/2 [413]5/2⁺α=−1/2 bands were confirmed and extended up to high spins and two bandcrossings are observed in the latter at ħω=0.33 and 0.44 MeV, respectively. The bandcrossings and configurations of these bands are discussed by TRS and CSM calculations. In a γ–γ–t measurement, the 11/2⁻ and 7/2⁻ levels were identified as two isomers with half-lives of 59.4±20 ns and 16.5±8.0 ns, respectively. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised version: 29 September 1997     

One-nucleon removal cross-sections for 17, 19C and 8, 10B

One-neutron removal cross-sections ( ) of ^{17, 19}C in various targets at about 900 MeV/nucleon, and one-proton removal cross-sections ( ) of ^{8, 10}B at about 1400 MeV/nucleon were measured using the fragment separator FRS at GSI. A significant increase of for ¹⁹C compared to its neighbors was observed. The same behavior was found for for the neutron-deficient nucleus ⁸B compared to the stable isotope ¹⁰B. These results support a one-neutron halo structure in ¹⁹C and a one-proton halo in ⁸B. Received: 26 July 2000 / Accepted: 11 January 2001     

Alpha decay of the new isotopes 188,189Po

New neutron-deficient isotopes ^188,189Po have been produced in the complete fusion reaction of ⁵²Cr ions with a ¹⁴²Nd target at the velocity filter SHIP. The evaporation residues were separated in-flight and subsequently identified on the basis of α-γ and α-conversion electron coincidence measurements and of α-α position and time correlations. In ¹⁸⁹Po a ground state to ground state α decay with E_α1= 7540(20) keV, T_1/2= 5(1) ms and two fine structure α-decays at E_α2= 7264(15) keV and E_α3= 7316(15) keV have been observed. In ¹⁸⁸Po (T_1/2= 400⁺²⁰⁰ ₋₁₅₀μs) a ground state to ground state α decay at E_α= 7915(25) keV and a fine structure α decay at E_α= 7350(40) keV have been found. Improved data on the α-decay of ¹⁸⁹Bi were obtained. Received: 15 October 1999     

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?     

Configuration assignments and decay of 126La high-spin bands

High spin states of ¹²⁶La have been populated using the reaction ¹¹⁶Sn+¹⁴N at 68 MeV. γ-rays and conversion electrons were detected with the GAREL array. Multipolarities of the lowest-lying in-band dipole transitions have been determined from the deduced internal conversion coefficients. Experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios have been derived for the bands and compared with calculated values using the D?nau-Frauendorf geometrical model. Configurations are proposed for the bands comparing them with cranked shell model calculations and on the basis of the measured B(M1)/B(E2) ratios. The β-decay of ¹²⁶La has also been revisited. The population of the ¹²⁶Ba levels gives a probable spin value of five for the decaying high-spin ¹²⁶La state with T _1/2≈ 64 s which may indicate a signature inversion in the πh_11/2νh_11/2 band. Received: 12 October 1999     

Hyperfine splitting and isotope shift in the atomic D2 line of 22,23Na and the quadrupole moment of 22Na

The hyperfine structure of the D₂ optical line in ²²Na and ²³Na has been investigated using high resolution laser spectroscopy of a well-collimated atomic beam. The hyperfine splitting constants A and B for the excited 3p ²P_3/2 level for both investigated sodium isotopes have been obtained. They are as follows: A(22) = 7.31(4) MHz, B(22) = 4.71(28) MHz, A(23) = 18.572(24) MHz, B(23) = 2.723(55) MHz. With this data, using the high precision MCHF calculations for the electric field gradient at the nucleus, the electric quadrupole moment of ²²Na has been deduced: Q_s(22) =+0.185(11) b. The sign of Q_s(22), determined for the first time, indicates a prolate nuclear deformation. A precise value of the isotope shift ^22,23Na in the D₂ line has also been obtained. Received: 26 February 1998 / Revised version: 25 June 1998     

Half-lives of platinum isotopes from photoactivation

The half-lives of the platinum isotopes ^189,191,197Pt and of the 4-day isomer in ^195mPt have been measured with high precision using the photoactivation technique. The γ-ray activity was counted over several half-lives with a high-purity germanium detector. The measured half-lives are: T_1/2(¹⁸⁹Pt) = 12.1 ± 1.5 h; T_1/2(¹⁹¹Pt) = 2.862 ± 0.007 d; T_1/2(¹⁹⁷Pt) = 19.96 ± 0.05 h; T_1/2(^195mPt) = 4.0104 ± 0.0047 d. Received: 13 September 1999     

Spectroscopy of 13B, 14B, 15B and 16B using multi-nucleon transfer reactions

New information has been obtained on excited states of the neutron-rich boron isotopes ¹⁴B, ¹⁵B and ¹⁶B, using the reactions ¹²C(¹⁴C,¹²N)¹⁴B, ¹³C(¹⁴C,¹²N)¹⁵B and ¹⁴C(¹⁴C,¹²N)¹⁶B at about 24 MeV/A. The mass excess of ¹⁶B has been measured for the first time, it is 37.08(6) MeV. This means that ¹⁶B is unbound by only 0.04(6) MeV. Furthermore, the nucleus ¹³B has been investigated with the four reactions ¹⁶O(¹⁴C,¹⁷F), ¹²C(¹⁴C,¹³N), ¹²C(¹³C,¹²N) and ¹²C(¹⁵N,¹⁴O). Choosing different target-projectile combinations, it was possible to populate states with different selectivity. New states are observed in ¹³B at excitation energies above the threshold for two-neutron decay. Received: 27 December 1999 / Revised version: 11 February 2000     

First evidence for a new spontaneous fission decay produced in the reaction 30Si +238U

Mean lifetimes of the high spin states in the yrast band of ¹²⁶Ba were measured by using the Doppler shift attenuation method in connection with the reaction ¹¹⁶Sn (¹⁶O, 2p4n)¹²⁶Ba at a beam energy of 73 MeV. The corresponding normalized B(E2) values are obviously reduced in the vicinity of the backbending. The results are compared with the theoretical predictions based on a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. Received: 9 June 1997 / Revised version: 16 October 1997     

High-spin structures observed in the 101Tc fission fragment

High-spin states have been studied in ¹⁰¹Tc produced as a fission fragment in the reaction ¹⁷⁶Yb +²⁸Si at 145 MeV. Gamma rays were detected with the EUROGAM2 array. The level scheme of ¹⁰¹Tc has been extended up to 4.2 MeV excitation energy and several band structures are observed. Configurations are assigned to two new bands on the basis of their behaviour and of cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov calculations. Received: 4 January 1999     

Photo and electroluminescence of ZnO : Er and ZnO : Ag,Er electroluminors

A number of ZnO : Er and ZnO : Ag, Er electroluminors have been prepared and their photo (PL) and electroluminescent (EL) properties investigated. While the addition of Ag slightly shifts the PL spectra towards longer wavelength side, the EL spectra not only shift but consist of some new transitions. In ZnO : Er electroluminors, additional transitions also exist at higher frequencies of excitations. Brightness waves for this system consist of two secondary peaks during each half cycle of exciting field. Temperature dependence shows two broad peaks. While voltage dependence of ZnO : Er satisfies the relationB=B ₀ exp(−b/V ^1/2), the relationB=B ₀ V exp(−b/V ^1/2) is found to be suitable for ZnO : Ag, Er electroluminor. Possible mechanisms for these phenomena have been proposed. A preliminary account of this work was presented at the International Symposium on Solid State Physics held at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Calcutta in January 1977.     

High-spin states in odd-odd 168Lu

High-spin states in the odd-odd ¹⁶⁸Lu nucleus, populated in the ¹⁵⁴Sm(¹⁹F,5n) reaction at a beam energy of 96 MeV, were investigated using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy techniques. The BC neutron crossing in the yrast band, based on πg _7/2[404]7/2⁺⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ configuration, occurs at ħω= 0.31 MeV. The two side bands, based on πh _11/2[514]9/2⁻⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ and πh _9/2[541]1/2⁻⊗νi _13/2[642]5/2⁺ configurations, show anomalous signature-splitting and signature-inversion in the first one, to occur at ħω= 0.24 MeV. A moderately delayed BC-crossing is anticipated in the second one. Received: 15 June 1998 / Revised version: 11 January 1999     

Recoil distance half-life measurements of the excited states in 145Sm

A recoil distance method was used to measure half-lives of the excited states of ₁₄₅Sm. The reaction used was ₁₃₉La(₁₀B, 4n)₁₄₅Sm. A plunger system was used. Half-lives were determined for two excited states for the first time. The yrast 27/2₊ state was found to have a half-life of 1.1 ± 0.2 ns corresponding to the retardation of 3.1 × 10₋₄ comparing with the single particle estimate of M1. The excitation energy of this state was well reproduced by the shell model calculation having a mixed configuration of [π{h^11/2(g^7/2)₋₂ (d^5/2)₋₁}¹⁰⁻, νf^7/2] + [π{h^11/2(g^7/2)₋₁}⁹⁻,νh^9/2]. Another retarded E1 transition was also found in a decay of a 21/2₊ state. Its retardation was 1.6 × 10₋₄ comparing with the single particle value. Received: 9 September 1997 / Revised version: 12 June 1998