Conversion electron measurement in the β<Superscript>-</Superscript>-decay of <Superscript>151</Superscript>Pr

The β^--decay of ¹⁵¹Pr produced by the thermal neutron-induced fission of ²³⁵U has been studied using an on-line isotope separator. From an internal-conversion electron measurement with a Si(Li) detector, K-conversion coefficients were obtained for 20 γ-transitions. Spins and parities of 6 excited levels in ¹⁵¹Nd were newly determined from the deduced multipolarities: even parities for the 543 and 627 keV levels, odd parities for 250 and 599 keV, (3/2, 5/2)⁺ for 685 keV, and (1/2, 3/2)⁺ for 880 keV. The level structure was compared with the rotation-vibration coupling Nilsson model. Received: 28 June 2002 / Accepted: 31 October 2002 / Published online: 25 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: ykojima@hiroshima-u.ac.jp Communicated by J. ?yst?     

First observation of medium-spin excitations in the <Superscript>138</Superscript>Cs nucleus

The Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP, coupled to the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility at Jyv?skyl?, was employed to measure the atomic masses of neutron-rich ^70-73Ni and ^{73, 75}Cu isotopes with a typical accuracy less than 5keV. The mass of ⁷³Ni was measured for the first time. Comparisons with the previous data are discussed. Two-neutron separation energies show a weak subshell closure at ⁶⁸ ₂₈Ni₄₀ . A well established proton shell gap is observed at Z = 28 .     

Investigations into the alpha-decay of <Superscript>195</Superscript>At

The low-energy nuclear structure and decay properties of the neutron-deficient isotopes ¹⁹⁵At and ¹⁹¹Bi have been studied. ¹⁹⁵At was produced in the reaction ¹⁴²Nd(⁵⁶Fe,p2n)¹⁹⁵At and ¹⁹¹Bi as the daughter activity of ¹⁹⁵At. The activities were implanted in a position-sensitive silicon detector after being separated from the primary beam by a gas-filled recoil separator. The 1/2⁺ intruder state was determined to be the ground state in ¹⁹⁵At with an alpha-decay energy of E _α = 6953(3) keV and a half-life T _1/2 = 328(20) ms. Another state with an alpha-decay energy E _α = 7075(4) keV and a half-life T _1/2 = 147(5) ms was found to decay to a 148.7(5) keV excited state in ¹⁹¹Bi for which a spin and parity of 7/2^- were deduced. Consequently, the same 7/2^- character was assigned to the initial state at 32(7) keV in ¹⁹⁵At on the basis of unhindered alpha-decay. The 9/2^- state, being the ground state in heavier odd-mass astatine isotopes, was not observed. Received: 16 September 2002 / Accepted: 19 December 2002 / Published online: 25 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: heikki.kettunen@phys.jyu.fi RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Laboratory of Radiochemistry, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, P.O. Box 14, FIN-00881 Helsinki, Finland. Communicated by W. Henning     

High-spin proton and alpha-particle emission as probes for nuclear structure

During recent years the nuclear decay modes of discrete prompt proton and α-particle emission from (super)deformed high-spin states have been discovered in nuclei in the vicinity of ⁵⁶Ni. The latest news from experiments performed at EUROBALL and GAMMASPHERE regarding these decays are presented and discussed. Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: dirk.rudolph@kosufy.lu.se     

Precision electron-gamma spectroscopic measurements in <Superscript>75</Superscript>As

The decay of ⁷⁵Se to levels of ⁷⁵As has been studied using an HPGe detector for gamma-ray and a mini-orange electron spectrometer for conversion electron measurements. We identify 38 transitions in this decay, including 18 gamma rays and 16 conversion electron lines reported for the first time. New results also include E2 multipolarity assignment for the 81 keV transition, M1 assignment to three newly observed transitions and M1 + E2 for the 617 keV transition. A revised ⁷⁵As level scheme is constructed using the Ritz combination principle through the computer code GTOL. While confirming the existence of 10 well-established levels, two levels at 587 and 859 keV are newly placed into the decay scheme of ⁷⁵Se. The interpretation of the observed levels in terms of various theoretical approaches is briefly discussed. The newly placed 586.8 keV 1/2^- and 859.9 keV 1/2⁺ levels are studied in the light of the Interacting Boson-Fermion Model.     

Bremsstrahlung emission accompanying the α -decay of 214Po

We analyze the bremsstrahlung emission obtained by the α -γ coincidence measurements to investigate on the α -decay dynamics of the ²¹⁴ Po nucleus. We performed the experiment using a radioactive ²²⁶ Ra source leading, by α -decays, to the ²¹⁴ Po nucleus, and the apparatus with the Si detector for α -particles, the NaI(Tl) detector able to collect photons with energies up to about 1 MeV. We compare the experimental data with the quantum-mechanical calculations and find a good agreement between theory and experiment for photon energies up to 765 keV. In the experimental data of the bremsstrahlung spectrum one can see the presence of slight oscillations.     

Isomers of astrophysical interest in neutron-deficient nuclei at masses A = 81, 85 and 86

Decay properties of neutron-deficient exotic nuclei close to A=80 have been investigated at the IGISOL facility. The studied nuclei, ⁸¹Y, ⁸¹Sr, ^81mKr, ⁸⁵Nb, ⁸⁵Zr, ⁸⁶Mo and ⁸⁶Nb, were produced by a ³²S beam from the Jyv?skyl? isochronous cyclotron on ⁵⁴Fe and ^natNi targets. The internal conversion coefficient for a 190.5 keV isomeric transition in ^81mKr has been measured and the internal transition rate has been determined. The internal transition rate has been used to estimate a neutrino capture rate on ⁸¹Br, which yields a log ft of 5.13±0.09 for the reaction ⁸¹Br( ν, e ^-)^81mKr. A new isomer with a half-life of 3.3±0.9 s has been observed in ⁸⁵Nb. The existence of an earlier reported isomer with a half-life of 56 s in ⁸⁶Nb has not been confirmed.     

Mass measurements of neutron-deficient nuclides close to A = 80 with a Penning trap

The masses of ^{80, 81, 82, 83}Y, ^{83, 84, 85, 86, 88}Zr and ^{85, 86, 87, 88}Nb have been measured with a typical precision of 7keV by using the Penning trap setup at IGISOL. The mass of ⁸⁴Zr has been measured for the first time. These precise mass measurements have improved S_p and Q_EC values for astrophysically important nuclides.     

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     

Gamma-ray spectroscopy of the doubly magic nucleus 56Ni

The doubly magic N = Z nucleus ⁵⁶Ni has been investigated with two fusion-evaporation reactions; ⁴⁰Ca(²⁸Si, 3α)⁵⁶Ni at a beam energy of 122MeV and ²⁸Si(³²S, 2p2n)⁵⁶Ni at 130MeV. To detect γ-rays in coincidence with evaporated particles the Ge-detector array Gammasphere was used in conjunction with the charged-particle detector system, Microball and a 1π neutron detector array. Results include a significantly extended level scheme of ⁵⁶Ni, which is compared to large-scale shell model calculations in the fp shell. The experimental and theoretical results agree to a large extent, with one notable exception; the theoretical model fails to predict the proper sequence of the yrast and yrare 8⁺ states.     

γ-ray spectroscopy of excited states in 61 30Zn31

The ⁶¹ ₃₀Zn₃₁ isotope has been produced at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the fusion-evaporation reaction ⁴⁰Ca(²⁴Mg, 2pn)⁶¹Zn at 104MeV. The experimental set-up allowed γ-rays to be detected in the CLARION Ge detector array in coincidence with the detection of recoiling nuclei in the focal plane at the end of the recoil mass spectrometer. This provides a unique identification of γ-rays belonging to ⁶¹Zn. The excited states have been explored by means of recoil- γγ coincidences, and the resulting decay scheme comprises almost 70 transitions. The data reveal numerous non-yrast states and suggest a revised spin and parity assignment for a previously observed superdeformed band. The resulting decay scheme is compared to predictions from different sets of large-scale shell model calculations.     

Inelastic excitation of <Superscript>187</Superscript>Re

Excited states in ¹⁸⁷Re populated by inelastic scattering of a 500 MeV ⁸²Se beam have been studied by means of in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. Levels built on the 5/2⁺[402] and 9/2^-[514] one-quasiparticle states were measured up to I ^π = (21/2⁺) and (21/2^-), respectively. In addition, several new levels including an isomer at 1682 keV with a half-life of 114(23) ns have been found. Quasiparticle configurations of the levels and the transition rates are discussed. Received: 12 December 2002 / Accepted: 13 March 2003 / Published online: 13 May 2003     

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-precision masses of 29-33Mg and the N = 20 shell “closure”

High-precision mass measurements have been performed on the exotic magnesium isotopes ^29-33Mg using the MISTRAL radiofrequency spectrometer, especially suited for very short-lived nuclides. This method, combined with the powerful tool of resonant laser ionization at ISOLDE, has provided a significant reduction of uncertainty for the masses of the most exotic Mg isotopes: a relative error of 7×10^-7 was achieved for the weakly produced ³³Mg that has a half-life of only 90ms. Moreover, the mass of ³³Mg is found to change by over 250keV. Verifying and minimizing binding energy uncertainties in this region of the nuclear chart is important for understanding the lack of binding energy that is normally associated with magic numbers.     

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     

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?     

β-delayed proton decays and spin assignments for 133Sm and 149Yb

The proton-rich isotope ¹³³Sm was produced via the fusion evaporation reaction ⁴⁰Ca + ⁹⁶Ru. Its β-delayed proton decay was studied by p-γ coincidence in combination with a He-jet tape transport system, and half-lives, proton energy spectra, γ-transitions following the proton emission, as well as β-delayed proton branching ratios to the low-lying states in the grand-daughter nucleus were determined. Comparing the observed β-delayed proton branching ratios with statistical model calculations, the best agreement is found assuming that only one level with the spin of 3/2 in ¹³³Sm decays or two levels with the spins of 1/2 and 5/2 decay with similar half-lives. The configuration-constrained nuclear potential energy surfaces of ¹³³Sm were calculated using the Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky method, which suggests a 1/2^- ground state and a 5/2⁺ isomer with an excitation energy of 120keV. Therefore, the simple (EC+β⁺) decay scheme of ¹³³Sm in Eur. Phys. J. A 11, 277 (2001) has been revised. In addition, our previous experimental data on the β-delayed proton decay of ¹⁴⁹Yb reported in Eur. Phys. J. A 12, 1 (2001) was also analyzed using the same method. The spin-parity of ¹⁴⁹Yb is suggested to be 1/2^-.     

Identification of a K isomer in 252No

A K isomer with a half-life of (110±10) ms at an excitation energy of 1254keV has been identified in the nucleus ²⁵²No . The isomer is interpreted as a two-quasineutron state with K ^π = 8^- . The isotope ²⁵²No was produced in the fusion-evaporation reaction ²⁰⁶Pb(⁴⁸Ca, 2n)²⁵²No . The experiment has been performed at the velocity filter SHIP of GSI Darmstadt.     

Measurement of quadrupole moment of the 134 keV level in <Superscript>131</Superscript>Cs

The time differential as well as time integral perturbed angular correlations of the 486-134 keV cascade in ¹³¹Cs have been studied in a polycrystalline BaSO₄ powder source using a HPGe-BaF₂ detector system. The fundamental quadrupole frequency for the 134 keV level has been found to be ω₀= (4.4 ± 0.4) × 10⁷ rad/s. From a comparison of the quadrupole frequencies of this level and that of the 81 keV level in ¹³³Cs, measured earlier in the same crystalline environment of the source, the absolute value of the quadrupole moment of the 134 keV level in ¹³¹Cs has been found to be 0.022 ± 0.002 b. This value of the quadrupole moment is reported for the first time and compared with the value predicted theoretically within the unified nuclear model with intermediate coupling. Received: 21 October 1999 / Revised version: 22 December 1999     

Investigations of low- and high-spin states of <Superscript>132</Superscript>La

The fusion evaporation reaction ¹²²Sn(¹⁴N, 4n)¹³²La was used to populate the high-spin states of ¹³²La at the beam energy of 60 MeV. A new band consisting of mostly E2 transitions has been discovered. This band has the interesting links to the ground state 2^- and the isomeric state 6^-. A new transition of energy 351 keV connecting the low-spin states of the positive-parity band based on the πh _11/2 ⊗ νh _11/2 particle configuration, has been found. This has played a very important role in resolving the existing ambiguities and inconsistencies in the spin assignment of the band head. Received: 12 August 2002 / Accepted: 18 March 2003 / Published online: 7 May 2003