Coulomb excitation of levels in 143Nd and 145Nd

The low-lying states of ¹⁴³Nd and ¹⁵⁴Nd have been studied by means of Coulomb excitation with ¹⁶O and α-particles. Angular distribution measurements were carried out for some transitions in ¹⁴⁵Nd with 11.2 MeV α-particles. Level energy decay schemes and B(E2)↑ values were measured for two states in ¹⁴³Nd and for six states in ¹⁴⁵Nd. Some spin assignments have been established for the ¹⁴⁵Nd nucleus. ¹⁴³Nd and ¹⁴⁵Nd have been theoretically described by coupling one and three particles, respectively, to quadrupole vibrations, and rather good agreement with experiment was achieved.     

Rotational states in 151Nd populated through thermal neutron capture

The level scheme in the nucleus ¹⁵¹ Nd has been studied following neutron capture by observing the γ-rays and conversion electrons with curved-crystal spectrometers, a Ge(Li) detector and a β-spectrometer. A comprehensive level scheme up to ? 1 MeV was established. It is shown that the present level scheme energies differ from those previously found in a ¹⁵⁰Nd(d, p) reaction study by a systematic shift of 27 keV. The binding energy of the last neutron in ¹⁵¹Nd was deduced. For most levels spin and parity values are proposed and an identification of bands with Nilsson-model configurations is given.     

High-spin states in the single-closed-shell nucleus 142Nd

The excited states of ¹⁴²₆₀Nd₈₂ have been studied using the ¹⁴⁰Ce(α, 2nγ)¹⁴²Nd and ¹⁴²Ce(α, 4γ)¹⁴²Nd reactions. Singles γ-ray, γ-γ coincidence spectra and angular distributions of γ-rays with respect to the beam direction have been measured. Excited states up to 6.7 MeV with spin values up to 14 are populated. The energy spacings between the lower excited states with spin values up to 8 are similar to those found in the lighter N = 82, even-Z isotones. The majority of the observed states with spin values up to 10 can be explained as two-quasiparticle states. Several of the highest-spin states can be explained qualitatively as fourquasiparticle states. Strong population of the highest excited states (at about 5.7 MeV) is noted, like in other N = 82 isotones. The observed levels in ¹⁴²Nd are compared with the shell model predictions using a simple δ-force interaction between two nucleons.     

Energy levels in 142Nd

The excited states of ¹⁴²Nd were studied by means of the decay of 40 sec ¹⁴²Pm and the ¹⁴²Nd(p, p') reaction via isobaric analog resonances. Approximately sixty levels of ¹⁴²Nd were observed below 5.3 MeV excitation, including several neutron particle-hole states excited strongly in (p, p') at f_{$\text{7}\text{2}$}, p_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}, p_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} and f_{$\text{5}\text{2}$} analog resonances. We have collected together all known energy levels in ¹⁴²Nd and have proposed J^π assignments for 22 excited states. We have also compared the experimental level spectrum (positive-parity states only) with a calculated one based on the shell model.     

Nuclear and Coulomb deformation parameters of 142Nd

Nuclear and Coulomb deformation parameters have been deduced from DWBA analyses of angular distributions of 67.5 MeV ¹³C ions inelastically scattered from ¹⁴²Nd. Optical model parameters from fits of measured elastic scattering data were used with previously measured B(EL) values to determine initial deformation parameters. Comparison With the experimental data indicates that DWBA calculations can be used to understand the inelastic scattering from the nearly spherical nucleus ¹⁴²Nd.     

Spin assignments from the 142Nd(7Li, 6He)143Pm and 144Sm(7Li, 6He)145Eu reactions at 52 MeV

Angular distributions have been measured for transitions to low-lying states in ¹⁴³Pm and ¹⁴⁵Eu populated by the ¹⁴²Nd(⁷Li, ⁶He)¹⁴³ and the ¹⁴⁴Sm(⁷Li, ⁶He)¹⁴⁵Eu reactions at $\text{E(}{}^7\text{Li}\text{) = 52}$ MeV. Elastic scattering of ⁷Li at 52 MeV on ¹⁴²Nd and ¹⁴⁴Sm, and ⁶Li at 46 MeV on ¹⁴²Nd and at 45 MeV on ¹⁴⁴Sm, were measured. Optical-model parameters extracted from fits to the scattering data were used in a finite-range DWBA analysis of the angular distributions for levels below 1.40 MeV excitation energy in ¹⁴³Pm and 1.84 MeV in ¹⁴⁵Eu. The reaction cross sections forward of 6° c.m. allow unambiguous distinction to be made between 2d_{$\text{5}\text{2}$} and 2d_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} final states. Final-state spins have been assigned to d-states in ¹⁴³Pm at 1.40 MeV($\text{3}\text{2}$⁺)and in ¹⁴⁵Eu at 1.042 MeV ($\text{3}\text{2}$⁺). Existing assignments to other levels in both residual nuclei have been confirmed.     

Heavy ion induced transfer reactions on 148Nd

Transfer reactions induced by ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O beams on ¹⁴⁸Nd were measured with a time-of-flight setup at 72 MeV incident energy. The angular distributions are bell shapes having their maxima at angles somewhat below the grazing angle. The excitation in the final nuclei takes place (if possible) near the optimum Q-value and is spread over 5 MeV for the one-particle transfer reactions and up to 10 MeV for the multiparticle transfers. The cross sections for the individual channels are explained mostly by Q-window considerations. In spite of the differences in the individual channels the total transfer cross section integrated over excitation energy, angle, and all channels turns out to be the same same for both ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O beams. This cross section amounts to 20 % of the total reaction cross section and nicely fills the gap between the measured fusion cross section and the total reaction cross section obtained from optical model calculations based on elastic scattering data.     

Reactions of 40Ar with 159Tb, 142Nd and 144Sm; New α-activities from 189Bi, 173Pt and 177Au

Reactions of ⁴⁰Ar ions with targets of ¹⁵⁹Tb, ¹⁴²Nd, and ¹⁴⁴Sm have been studied at energies below 300 MeV with a helium gas-jet system. Excitation functions for (Ar, xn) reactions, where x = 5–10, were obtained for the radioactive products that decay by α-emission. Based on the characteristics of these excitation functions and on the systematics of α-decay, evidence is presented for the existence of the nuclides ¹⁸⁹Bi with α-particle energy E_α = 6.67±0.01 MeV and half-life < 1.5 sec, and ¹⁷³Pt with E_α = 6.19±0.01 MeV; and for the emission from ¹⁷⁷Au of an α-particle with E_α = 6.15±0.01 MeV.     

Angular correlation studies in 144Nd

The decays of ¹⁴⁴Pr and ¹⁴⁴Pm populate ten excited states in ¹⁴⁴Nd. We have carried out detailed γγ angular correlation measurements in order to establish spin assignments for these levels. The measurements were performed with Ge(Li)-Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl)-Ge(Li) systems. Eleven sets of A₂₂ and A₄₄ values were obtained. The J^π assignments for levels in ¹⁴⁴Nd (level energies in keV) are as follows: g.s.,0⁺; 696, 2⁺; 1314, 4⁺ ; 1511, 3^?; 1561, 2⁺ ; 1791, 6⁺; 2084, 2⁺ ; 2093, 5^?; 2186, 1^?; 2204, 4; 2644, 1. Mixing ratios were determined for six γ-transitions.     

In-beam study of 136Ce and 138Nd isotones with N = 78

Excited states in ¹³⁶Ce and ¹³⁸Nd have been investigated by means of in-beam spectroscopy with the (p, 4nγ) reaction. Excitation functions and angular distributions of γ-rays were measured with a Ge(Li) detector, and conversion electron spectra were taken with a magnetic spectrometer. Time-dependent spectra of γ-rays revealed delayed components with half-lives of 2.2μsec and 0.41μsec in ¹³⁶Ce and ¹³⁸Nd, respectively. Most of the excited states are classified as belonging to the quasi-ground-state rotational band and the quasi-gamma band. Negative parity 5^? and 7^? states were also observed.     

Particle-core coupling in141Nd

High-spin states in¹⁴¹Nd have been studied using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic techniques via the¹³⁰Te(¹⁶O, 5nγ)¹⁴¹Nd reaction. The level scheme of¹⁴¹Nd has been extended up to an excitation energy of 7614.5 keV including 12 new γ rays deexciting 15 new levels. According to particle-vibrator coupling and semi-empirical shell model calculations, the level structure of¹⁴¹Nd can be well interpreted by coupling an h_11/2 neutron-hole to the respective excited states in¹⁴²Nd core.     

Incomplete fusion of the 16O + 27Al reaction

Velocity spectra of fusion-like residues produced in the reactions of 90 MeV and 150 MeV ¹⁶O with ²⁷Al were measured. At 90 MeV the velocity spectra were well reproduced by a statistical model calculation. At 150 MeV the observed centroids of the velocity spectra deviate from the statistical model predictions. The centroid shifts as a function of the atomic and mass numbers of evaporation residues were analyzed by two different model calculations based on the assumption that incomplete fusion is (a) a peripheral process, or (b) independent on the angular momentum of the entrance channel, respectively. The later assumption is in better agreement with the presented data.     

Electron scattemng studies of 184W and 186W

Anomalous results obtained in recent electron-nucleus scattering experiments suggest that a dispersion correction may contribute significantly to elastic cross sections in the region of the first diffraction minimum. Such a dispersion correction describes the effect of possible virtual nuclear excitations neglected in the conventional phase-shift analyses of electron scattering data. To investigate these effects, the Yale University electron accelerator has been used to study the scattering from ¹⁸⁴W and ¹⁸⁶W at incident energies between 40 and 65 MeV and scattering angles between 70° and 150°. No evidence of a dispersion effect is seen in the nucleus ¹⁸⁶W. In the case of ¹⁸⁴W, a comparison of the measured cross sections with those expected on the basis of the results of muonic X-ray experiments indicates that any dispersive effect is limited to less than 10% in the region of the first diffraction minimum. A summary of the results of this laboratory's search for dispersion effects in Nd, Sm, and W is appended.     

Evidence for reduced neutron pairing correlations in 165Yb

Three rotational sequences in ¹⁶⁵Yb have been extended to high spins by using the ¹³⁰Te(⁴⁰Ar, 5n) and ¹⁵⁰Nd(²⁰Ne, 5n) reactions. Evidence is presented for a reduction of the neutron pairing correlations at the highest rotational frequencies (hω > 0.40 MeV), but no quantitative measure of this reduction can be made. There appears to be a conflict with the expectations of simple CSM calculations.     

Spreading width of the IAS in even Pm isotopes measured via the ANd(3He,t)APm and ANd(3He,tp)A−1Nd reactions

Total and escape widths of IAS in even-A Pm isotopes have been measured via the ^ANd(³He, t)^APm and ^ANd(³He, t$\text{p}$)^A?1Nd reactions. Values for the spreading widths have been deduced and found to increase strongly with the excitation energy of the IAS through the chain of Pm isotopes. This behaviour, in contrast with the much smoother global increase with mass number, is attributed to a dependence on level density.     

Level structure of 147Nd2 (iii). The 146Nd(n,e?) reaction

The conversion electrons following thermal neutron capture in ¹⁴⁶Nd have been studied in the energy range 30 < E_e < 125 keV, with a conversion electron spectrometer installed at the Grenoble high-flux reactor. Precise values of the multipole mixing ratio M1/E2 have been obtained for transitions up to 100 keV. Furthermore, the spin and parity for the 215 keV level is verified. The states of ¹⁴⁷Nd are compared with the two other N = 87 isotones; the properties of these nuclei can be understood in the framework of the spherical shell model.     

The 181Ta(γ, π+)181Hf reaction

Yields for the reaction ¹⁸¹Ta(γ, π⁺)¹⁸¹Hf have been measured by an activation method using bremsstrahlung radiation with end-point energies in the range 150–360 MeV. The data have been unfolded to give cross section results corresponding to bombarding with monoenergetic photons. A comparison is made with respect to previous results and a semiclassical cascade-model calculation.     

Lifetimes of some excited states in 64Ni, 66Zn and 68Zn

Mean lives and excitation energies of the lowest levels in⁶⁴Ni,⁶⁶Zn and⁶⁸Zn were measured with the aid of the (α, α′γ) and (α, pγ) reactions. The γ-rays were detected in coincidence with the outgoing particles. The following mean lives were determined from DSA measurements: 400 ± 150 fs for the level at E_x = 1.35 MeV in ⁶⁴Ni; 270 ± 100, 210 ± 110, 330 ± 200, 80 ± 70 fs for the levels at E_x = 1.87, 2.45, 2.83, 2.94 MeV in ⁶⁶Zn, and 1300 ± 300, > 160, 600 ± 200 fs for the levels at E_x = 1.08, 1.89 and 2.76 MeV in ⁶⁸Zn, respectively.     

Charge exchange reaction 14C(6Li, 6He)14N

Angular distributions of the charge exchange reaction ¹⁴C(⁶Li, ⁶He)¹⁴N leading to the 1⁺ ground state and 3.95 MeV 1⁺, and 5.20 MeV 2^? excited states at the 34 MeV incident beam energy were analyzed and measured. The 62 MeV data of Goodman et al. were also reanalyzed. The direct one-step charge exchange caused by the spin-isospin dependent term in the two-body interaction can account well for the observed data. The strength of spin-isospin dependent effective interaction (gaussian form with a range parameter of 1.8 fm) was extracted to be 18.5 MeV.