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.     

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.     

Coulomb excitation studies of 160Dy, 162Dy and 164Dy

Coulomb excitation measurements with ¹⁶O and ⁴He projectiles have been performed on ¹⁶⁰Dy, ¹⁶²Dy, and ¹⁶⁴Dy. The ground-state rotational bands up through the 8⁺ member were observed in the ¹⁶O experiments. The measured excitation probabilities yield B(E2; I → I ?2) values which are generally in agreement with the rotational predictions except for the 6⁺ → 4⁺ values. In each nucleus, probabilities for exciting the 2⁺, 4⁺, and 6⁺ members of the γ-vibrational band were measured and compared with calculated results. The B (E2; 0⁺ → 2⁺γ) values were measured in experiments involving ⁴He ions. The K^π = 2^? octupole band was observed in each nucleus in addition to 1^? bands in ¹⁶⁰Dy and ¹⁶²Dy. Excitation probabilities were analyzed in an attempt to extract B(E3) values.     

Studies of 158, 160, 162, 164, 166Dy levels with the (t,p) reaction

Angular distributions of the ^{156, 158, 160, 162, 164}Dy(t, p) reactions have been measured using 17 MeV tritons from the McMaster University Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. The reaction products were analyzed with a magnetic spectrograph and detected with photographic emulsions, resulting in overall peak widths of 15–20 keV (FWHM). Levels populated with L=0 transitions were identified from the unambiguous angular distributions, and at least one previously-unknown I^π = 0⁺ state was found in each nuclide studied. New I^π=0⁺ levels were found at energies of 1269, 1549, 1743, and 2000 keV in ¹⁵⁸Dy, 1457 and 1709 keV in ¹⁶⁰Dy, 2126 keV in ¹⁶²Dy, 1774 keV in ¹⁶⁴Dy, and 1149 keV in ¹⁶⁶Dy. Also, the previously proposed 0⁺ assignment for the 1655.4 keV level in ¹⁶⁴Dy has been confirmed. For the neutron-rich nuclide ¹⁶⁶Dy there was previously no information on excited states listed in the Nuclear Data Sheets, and many levels have been located in the present study, including the gamma band and an excited K^π=0⁺ band. The 1457 keV 0⁺ state in ¹⁶⁰Dy is a possible candidate for the bandhead of the previously reported S-band. The fraction of the L=0 strength which feeds excited states is unsually high in several cases, and particularly for ¹⁶⁴Dy, in which the total L=0 strength to excited levels is ∼35% of that for the ground state. This can be explained qualitatively in terms of a “sub-shell closure” corresponding to the gap in the Nilsson diagram at N=98, and supports the earlier explanation of large L=0 strengths to excited states in the ¹⁶¹Dy(t, p) ¹⁶³Dy reaction as being due to this gap. Most of the L^π=0⁺ excited states observed in previous (p, t) studies were not populated in the present work, thus ruling out a pairing vibrational interpretation for these levels.     

Nuclear levels in228Th populated in the decay of228Pa

The electron-capture decay of²²⁸Pa to levels in²²⁸Th has been studied using mass-separated sources and high-resolutionγ-ray and conversion-electron spectroscopy. A level at 979.5 keV is assigned as 2⁺ member of a second excited K_π=0⁺ band, with the 0⁺ band head at 938.6 keV. The 2⁺ and 3⁺ members of a second excited K_π=2⁺ band at 1153.5 and 1200.5 keV, which decay by strongE0 transitions to the 969 keVγ-vibrational band, are confirmed. In addition we tentatively propose a K_π=1⁺ band at 944 keV. The K_π=0^?, 1^? and 2^? members of the octupole quadruplet are confirmed, and theγ decay of these levels is analysed in an approach, in which the mixing of the octupole bands by the Coriolis interaction is taken into account. It is suggested that octupole correlations might be important for theE1 transition moments. A total of 29 levels is observed between ～1.4 and ～2.0 MeV, for which the nuclear structure, and the possible assignment to rotational bands, is unclear.     

On the nature of the superband in156Dy

Superbands, responsible for the backbending in¹⁵⁶Dy and other N=90 and N=88 nuclei, are proposed to be alignedn(i_13/2)² bands, whereas it is argued that the recently discovered positive parity band in¹⁵⁶Dy withI ^π= (2⁺) up to 10⁺ members does not constitute the low spin extension of the superband.     

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.     

Investigation of vibrational levels in 226Ra by Coulomb excitation and by the 226Ra (d,pnγ) reaction

Vibrational bands in ²²⁶Ra were studied by Coulomb excitation and by the ²²⁶Ra(d,pnγ) reaction. The first-excited K ^π = 0⁺ and 1^? bands with known band heads at 825 and 1049 keV, respectively, were extended up to the 8⁺ and 7^? levels. A new 2⁺ level at 1110 keV and the known 2⁺ level at 1156 keV were observed following Coulomb excitation and interpreted as γ vibration and possible member of a second-exited K ^π = 0⁺ band, respectively. The E1 and E2 branching ratios from these vibrational bands to the ground and first-excited 0^? band are explained within the rotational model including band mixings. No evidence was found for a 0⁺ level at 650 keV proposed earlier.     

Investigation of vibrational levels in226Ra by coulomb excitation and by the226Ra(d,pnγ) reaction

Vibrational bands in²²⁶Ra were studied by Coulomb excitation and by the²²⁶Ra(d,pnγ) reaction. The first-excitedK ^π = 0⁺ and 1^? bands with known band heads at 825 and 1049 keV, respectively, were extended up to the 8⁺ and 7^? levels. A new 2⁺ level at 1110 keV and the known 2⁺ level at 1156 keV were observed following Coulomb excitation and interpreted asγ vibration and possible member of a second-exitedK ^π = 0⁺ band, respectively. TheE1 andE2 branching ratios from these vibrational bands to the ground and first-excited 0^? band are explained within the rotational model including band mixings. No evidence was found for a 0⁺ level at 650 keV proposed earlier.     

Multipolarities of prompt transitions in 156Dy and spin-parities of the upper band levels

The prompt γ-ray and conversion-electron spectra following the ¹⁵⁹Tb(p, 4n)¹⁵⁶Dy and ¹⁵⁶Gd(α, 4n)¹⁵⁶Dy reactions have been measured with, respectively, a Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) Compton suppression device and a mini-orange spectrometer. On the basis of the deduced multipolarities, earlier spin-parity assignments for levels in ¹⁵⁶Dy have been confirmed. Furthermore, the recently reported upper band levels could be divided into a negative-parity band up to 11^? or maybe 13^?, and a positive-parity band with tentative K = 0 character and spins 4⁺, 6⁺, 8⁺, 10⁺ and maybe 2⁺. The negative-parity band is described as an aligned-octupole band; the positive-parity band may possibly represent the low-spin extension of the superband responsible for backbending in the β- and ground-state bands in this nucleus.     

Collective states in 230Ra fed by β− decay of 230Fr

The γ-rays following the β⁻ decay of ²³⁰Fr have been investigated by means of γ-ray singles including multispectrum analysis and γγ coincidence measurements using Ge(Li) detectors. The half-life of ²³⁰Fr was measured to be 19.1 ± 0.5 s. Most of the observed transitions could be placed in a level scheme comprising 23 new excited states of ²³⁰Ra, ten of them grouped into the K^π = 0⁺ ground-state band, the K^π = 0⁻ band with its 1⁻ state at 710.9 keV and a K^π = 2⁺ γ-vibrational band with its head at 734.8 keV. It is concluded that ²³⁰Ra is a better rotator than the lighter radium isotopes, and has no ground-state octupole deformation.     

Low-spin states of 106Pd studied by the ARC technique

An average resonance capture (ARC) study of ¹⁰⁶Pd has been performed, resulting in the identification of a complete set of low-spin states (J^π = 0⁺–5⁺ and 1⁻–4⁻) up to an energy of 2.5 MeV. Several quasi-rotational bands have been tentatively identified. None of the bands can be positively identified as a rotational-like intruder configuration.     

Exotic clustering in 222,224,226Ra

We describe the J^π = 0⁺, 2⁺, 4⁺, … ground state bands of ^222,224,226Ra, using a model in which these bands are treated as a ¹⁴C cluster orbiting the appropriate Pb core. For each isotope, we obtain good agreement with the measured half-life for the ¹⁴C decay of the 0⁺ ground state, as well as with the excitation energies and in-band E2 decays of other states of the ground state band. We also propose extensions of the model to deal with the observed low-lying J^π = 1⁻, 3⁻, 5⁻, … bands, their in-band E2 decays, and the E1 and E3 transitions connecting to the ground state bands.     

Levels of 234U and 236U excited by the (d,d') reaction

The energy levels of ²³⁴U and ²³⁶U have been studied through the inelastic scattering of 16 MeV douterons. A magnetic spectrograph was used to momentum-analyse the scattered deuterons at θ = 90° and 125°. Excited in both ²³⁴U and ²³⁶U were the ground state bands up to and including the 8⁺ members, the K^π = 0⁺β-vibrations, the K^π = 2⁺γ-vibrations, and the K^π = 0^? octupole vibrational bands. In ²³⁴U, additional levels at 1023 and 1126 keV are ascribed to a K^π = 2^? band, levels at 1238, 1312, and 1446 keV are identified as members of either a K^π = 0^? or 1^? configuration, and other tentative assignments are made for members of K^π = 1^? and 3^? configurations. Relative reduced transition probabilities, B(E2), to the 2⁺ rotational and γ-vibrational states are generally found to be in good agreement with Coulomb excitation measurements. Relative B(E3) values for the 3^? states excited are slightly higher than the predictions of a microscopic theory of octupole vibrations.     

Band mixing in156Gd and158Gd

A detailed investigation of the energies and intensities of the γ-rays that depopulate the low spin levels of the β- and γ-vibrational bands of¹⁵⁶Gd and the γ-vibrational band of¹⁵⁸Gd has been conducted. Both singles and γ-γ coincidence measurements were made on sources of 15-d¹⁵⁶Eu and 46-min¹⁵⁸Eu by use of large volume, high resolution Ge(Li) detectors. In addition to the γ-band at 1154.09 keV, twoK ^π=0⁺ bands were observed in¹⁵⁶Gd with band heads at 1049.45 and 1168.11 keV, respectively. The 2⁺ and 3⁺ members of the γ-vibrational band in¹⁵⁸Gd were observed at 1187.12 and 1265.43 keV, respectively, as well as a newK ^π=0⁺ band at 1195.98 keV. A first order perturbational treatment of the branching ratios was applied to both nuclei. In addition, the mixing between the ground state, the β-, and the γ-vibrational bands of¹⁵⁶Gd is considered from two approaches, but neither satisfactorily explains all the experimentalB(E2) ratios.     

Experimental evidence for low-spin members of “upper” bands in156Dy

Study of the energy levels of¹⁵⁶Dy through the¹⁵⁹Tb(p, 4n)¹⁵⁶Dy reaction has revealed the existence of six states with excitation energies between 1.8 and 2.8 MeV and spins between 6 and 12. Some of them can tentatively be assigned as low-spin members of “upper” bands which are thought to be responsible for the backbending phenomenon experimentally observed in the ground-state andβ-vibrational bands of this nucleus. Others could be levels of a negative-parity octupole band.     

Investigation of the ground state rotational bands in233U and239Pu in the (α, 3n) reactions

The ground state rotational bands in²³³U and²³⁹Pu were investigated in (α, 3n) reactions. Conversion electrons were measured with an iron free orange spectrometer in order to suppress the background from fission. Levels up toI ^π=33/2⁺ of theK=5/2 band in²³³U andI ^π=31/2⁺ of theK=1/2 band in²³⁹Pu were identified ine ^?γ coincidence measurements. The level energies of both rotational bands can be well described up to the highest observed spins by a two-parameter angular velocity expansion. The electromagnetic properties of theK=1/2 band in²³⁹Pu are discussed.     

The level structure of 156Gd studied by means of the (α, 2nγ) reaction

A complete set of conventional γ-ray spectroscopic techniques has been applied to investigate the level structure of ¹⁵⁶Gd. A total of twenty-five new levels has been established; unambiguous spin assignments could be given for twelve of them on the basis of angular distributions and conversion electron measurements. The proposed level scheme contains 49 levels, which can be ordered in seven rotational bands. The ground-state band was excited up to J^π = 14⁺, the β-band up to 10⁺, the γ-band up to (11⁺), the second K^π = 0⁺ band tentatively up to (10⁺), the K^π = 4⁺ band up to (8⁺). Two negative-parity bands, one with even spins and one with odd spins, were excited to J^π = (12^?) and (13^?). An isomeric state was established with $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 1.3 μs, J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{= 7}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{, E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{= 2137.7}\text{keV}$. The properties of the K^π = 4⁺ band and the isomeric state can be well explained by two-quasiparticle configurations. The negative-parity bands are interpreted as aligned octupole bands. Positive and negative-parity bands have been calculated in terms of the IBA model. Good agreement with the experimental results is obtained.     

Band interaction in <Superscript>162</Superscript>Dy, <Superscript>168</Superscript>Er,and <Superscript>172</Superscript>Yb

Coriolis interaction between levels of two rotational bands in ¹⁷²Yb with K ^π = 2⁺ and 3⁺ and in ¹⁶⁸Er between levels with K ^π = 0^?, 1^?, and 2^? is studied. The values of the interaction parameters are obtained. The mutual influence of two bands in ¹⁶²Dy with ΔK = 2, K _i ^π = 0 ₂ ⁺ and 2 ₁ ⁺ due to Coriolis interaction is demonstrated.     

The decay scheme of 228Fr and K = 0 BANDS in 228Ra

The γ-rays following the β^?-decay of ²²⁸Fr have been studied by means of γ-ray singles including multi-spectrum analysis and γ-γ coincidence measurements using Ge(Li) spectrometers. Most of the observed γ-transitions could be placed in the level scheme of ²²⁸Ra. The accuracy the energy of the first-excited state in ²²⁸Ra has been improved and 35 new excited levels have been established, 11 of them grouped into the ground-state band, the low-lying K^π = 0^? band with the head at 474.14 keV and two excited K^π = 0⁺ bands with heads at 721.17 and 1041.9 keV. Candidates for two close-lying K^π = 2⁺ bands have also been found. It is concluded that the ground state octupole deformation, if any, is less pronounced in ²²⁸Ra than in lighter radium isotopes.