Investigation of lifetimes in dipole bands of 142Gd

Lifetimes have been measured for dipole bands in ¹⁴²Gd using DSAM. The deduced B(M1) and B(E2) values as well as B(M1)/B(E2) ratios are compared with calculations in the framework of the TAC (Tilted Axis Cranking) and SPAC (Shears mechanism with Principal Axis Cranking) models. The dipole bands DB1 to DB4 can be interpreted as magnetic rotational bands.     

Investigation of lifetimes in the dipole band of 139Sm

Lifetimes have been measured for a dipole band in ¹³⁹Sm using DSAM. The deduced B(M1) and B(E2) values as well as B(M1)/B(E2) ratios are compared with calculations in the framework of the TAC (Tilted Axis Cranking) and SPAC (Shears mechanism with Principal Axis Cranking) models. The dipole band in ¹³⁹Sm can be considered as a magnetic rotational band with a prolate or triaxial nuclear deformation.     

New information on the T1/2 = 47 s isomer in the 136I nucleus

The ¹³⁶I nucleus, populated in the spontaneous fission of ²⁴⁸Cm, was studied by means of prompt γ-ray spectroscopy using the EUROGAM2 array. The observation in this work of the 42.6keV prompt-γ, M1 + E2 transition de-exciting the 7^- level in ¹³⁶I indicates that this level, interpreted as the configuration, does not correspond to the T = 47s, β-decaying isomer in ¹³⁶I. The isomer is placed 42.6keV below the 7^- level. It has spin 6^- and is interpreted as the configuration. This and other members of both multiplets can be reproduced properly only if one assumes that the πd_5/2 orbital in ¹³⁶I is located 400keV lower than in ¹³³Sb. Possible mechanisms causing this effect are discussed.     

New high-spin states of 147Nd and 145Ce: Octupole correlation in the N = 87 isotones

High-spin states of the N = 87 nuclei, ¹⁴⁷Nd and ¹⁴⁵Ce, have been populated in the ¹²C + ²³⁸U and ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb fusion-fission reactions at 90 MeV and 85 MeV bombarding energy, respectively. The emitted γ-radiation was detected using the Euroball III and IV arrays. High-spin states of the ¹⁴⁷Nd isotope have been identified for the first time. The high-spin yrast and near-to-yrast structures of the ¹⁴⁵Ce nucleus have been considerably extended. The newly observed structures, discussed by analogy with the neighbouring isotones, show the coupling of an h_9/2 neutron to the quadrupole and octupole excitations of the core.     

Lifetime measurements in 148Gd

Lifetimes of excited states in ¹⁴⁸Gd were measured using the recoil distance method with a plunger device coupled to the EUROBALL Ge detector array. The differential decay curve method in coincidence mode allowed the unambiguous determination of lifetimes of more than 20 excited states. The obtained transition strengths are in good agreement with the shell model calculations. The effect of the Z = 64 subshell closure on the B(E2 : 2⁺ → 0⁺) reduced strengths above the N = 82 magic number is discussed.-1 Received: 14 November 2002 / Accepted: 4 February 2003 / Published online: 29 April 2003     

Lifetimes and side-feeding population of the yrast band levels in 131La

Lifetimes of yrast levels with spins I^π = 23/2^--43/2^- in ¹³¹La populated in the ¹²²Sn(¹⁴N, 5n) reaction at a beam energy of 70MeV are measured by the Doppler Shift Attenuation method. A model of side-feeding population is presented. The model parameters are determined in an experiment based on the lineshape of γ-transitions from two highest spin levels and from the intensity distribution along the yrast band. The properties of the h_11/2 band in ¹³¹La are compared with the theoretical predictions obtained in the framework of the Core-Quasi-Particle Coupling and the self-consistent Total Routhian Surface models.     

Dipole and quadrupole cascades in the yrast region of 143Gd

The high spin states of ¹⁴³Gd have been studied via the ¹¹¹Cd(³⁵Cl,1p2n) reaction at 170 MeV. One dipole cascade has been newly found and two dipole cascades have been extended to higher spin states. A relatively long E2 cascade consisting of irregular transition energies has been found, which has only weak connections to the other dipole and quadrupole cascades. This resembles the ones recently found in ^142,143,144Eu and ¹⁴⁴Gd. The dipole and quadrupole cascades have been found to appear by turns in an energy increment of about 0.2 MeV above the yrast line. Received: 1 November 1997     

Systematics of high-spin isomers in N = 83 isotones and a high-spin isomer beam

Isomers in N = 83 isotones of Z = 60-66, were studied systematically. Their spins and parities are 49/2⁺ and 27⁺ for odd and odd-odd nuclei, respectively. Nearly constant excitation energies of these isomers indicated a decrease of a Z = 64 shell gap energy as Z decreases from 64 to 60 within the framework of a deformed independent-particle model (DIPM). Their configurations are [ν(f _7/2 h _9/2 i _13/2),π(h _11/2)²]_49/2+ and [ν(f _7/2 h _9/2 i _13/2),π(h _11/2)²(d _5/2)^-1]₂₇₊ for odd and odd-odd nuclei, respectively. The shape of the yrast states changes suddenly at spin 49/2(odd) and 27(odd-odd) from a near spherical to an oblate shape. Transitions from isomers are highly hindered because of the shape changes. They may be categorized to be shape isomers. The development of a secondary beam produced by using these high-spin isomers is also described. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Super-allowed α decay above doubly-magic <Superscript>100</Superscript>Sn and properties of <Superscript>104</Superscript>Te = <Superscript>100</Superscript>Sn ⊗ α

α-decay half-lives for ^{104, 105, 106}Te and ^{108, 109, 110}Xe close above the doubly-magic ¹⁰⁰Sn are calculated from systematic double-folding potentials. The derived α preformation factors are compared to results for ^{212, 213, 214}Po and ^{216, 217, 218}Rn above the doubly-magic ²⁰⁸Pb. α-decay energies of Q _α = 5.42±0.07MeV and 4.65±0.15MeV are predicted for ¹⁰⁴Te and ¹⁰⁸Xe; the corresponding half-lives are T _1/2 ≈ 5ns for ¹⁰⁴Te and of the order of 60μs for ¹⁰⁸Xe. Additionally, the properties of rotational bands in ¹⁰⁴Te are analyzed, and the first excited 2⁺ state in ¹⁰⁴Te is predicted at E _x = 650±40keV; it decays preferentially by γ emission with a reduced transition strength of 10 Weisskopf units to the ground state of ¹⁰⁴Te and with a minor branch by α emission to the ground state of ¹⁰⁰Sn.     

Development of magnetic rotation in light Gd nuclei; study of 142Gd

High-spin states in ¹⁴²Gd have been populated by means of the ⁹⁹Ru(⁴⁸Ti, 2p3n) reaction at 240 MeV and investigated with the γ-spectrometer EUROBALL III and the charged-particle detector array ISIS. The features of four dipole bands have been determined and compared with tilted-axis cranking model calculations indicating that they are magnetic rotational bands. A transition from regular to irregular bands has been found approaching N = 82 demonstrating that this is a general phenomenon in nuclei near a double-shell closure. Received: 9 December 2001 / Accepted: 9 January 2002     

Gamma-ray spectroscopy of the nucleus 139Ce

Gamma-ray coincidence techniques are used to determine new level structures in the N = 81 nucleus ¹³⁹Ce, at low spins and excitation energies with the ¹³⁹La(p, nγ) reaction at 5.0 and 6.0MeV incident energy, and at high spins with the ¹³⁰Te(¹²C, 3nγ) reaction at 50.5MeV, respectively. Lifetime determinations are also made in the (p, nγ) reaction with the centroid DSA method. The observed level structures are discussed by comparison with existing calculations and with those in the neighbouring nucleus ¹⁴⁰Ce.     

Yrare bands of 121Xe

High-spin states in ¹²¹Xe have been studied via the ¹⁰⁹Ag (16O, p3n) ¹²¹Xe reaction at a beam energy of 80 MeV. Several rotational bands based on one- and three-quasiparticle excitations have been established. Among them, an unfavoured yrare rotational band with unfavoured signature has been newly identified. Received: 19 November 1998     

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     

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?     

Five-quasiparticle bands in 127Ba

High spin states in ₁₂₇Ba have been investigated with the fusion–evaporation reaction ₉₆Zr(₃₆S,5n)₁₂₇Ba at a beam energy of 150 MeV with the GASP-spectrometer at INFN in Legnaro, Italy. The level scheme could be extended to high spins resulting in the observation of five-quasiparticle states. Altogether 15 band structures were placed in the level scheme. Received: 3 July 1998     

Candidates for chiral doublet bands in 136Nd

The even-even nucleus ¹³⁶Nd was studied via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy using the ¹⁶O + ¹²⁵Te reaction at 100 MeV and the EUROBALL array. One new dipole band was observed. Together with a previously identified dipole band, whose position in the level scheme is revised, the new band forms a doublet structure similar to the recently observed chiral bands in the odd-odd neighboring nuclei. This would be the first case of a chiral doublet in an even-even nucleus. Received: 23 May 2002 / Accepted: 30 September 2002 / Published online: 27 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: costel.petrache@unicam.it RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung D-64291 Darmstadt, Germany. Communicated by C. Signorini     

Lifetime measurement in 74Kr and 76Kr

Lifetimes of excited states in the ground-state bands of ⁷⁴Kr and ⁷⁶Kr were measured using the recoil-distance Doppler-shift and the differential decay curve methods. The states were populated in the ⁴⁰Ca(⁴⁰Ca, α2p) and ⁴⁰Ca(⁴⁰Ca, 4p) reactions. Gamma rays were detected with the GASP array which was coupled to the Cologne Plunger device. The results resolve discrepancies between earlier lifetime measurements and a recent Coulomb excitation experiment. Experimental transition rates are compared to theoretical calculations. The results support a strong mixing between prolate and oblate configurations for the low-spin states, and represent an important basis for the interpretation and understanding of the shape coexistence phenomenon in this mass region.     

Beta decay of 93Pd

The very neutron-deficient isotope ⁹³Pd was produced in fusion-evaporation reactions of a ⁴⁰Ca beam on a ⁵⁸Ni target. The reaction products were separated at the GSI Online Mass Separator, using ion sources of the FEBIAD type. The -decay properties of ⁹³Pd were studied by detecting -delayed protons and -delayed -rays. The feeding of excited levels in the daughter nucleus ⁹³Rh and the -decay half-life of ⁹³Pd were determined. The experimental results are discussed in comparison to shell model predictions. Received: 19 April 2000 / Accepted: 17 June 2000     

Studies of quadrupole collectivity in the γ -soft 106Ru

Various alternative models were used to describe the structure of ¹⁰⁶Ru . For example, the General Collective Model (GCM) predicts shape-coexistence for ¹⁰⁶Ru with a spherical and a triaxial minimum and strongly mixed structures, while in the IBA-2 calculations, where ¹⁰⁶Ru was considered as transitional from vibrational U(5) to γ -soft O(6) , no need was found to include the shape-coexisting configurations. In order to provide additional constraints on the model interpretations, we have applied the Advanced Time-Delayed (ATD) βγγ(t) method to measure the level lifetimes of the excited levels in ¹⁰⁶Ru . The new results include the half-lives of T _1/2 = 183(3) ps and 7.5(30)ps for the 2⁺ ₁ and 2⁺ ₂ states, respectively.     

Spectroscopy of the neutron-deficient nuclide 171Pt

The decay out of the πh _11/2νh _11/2 band to the known low-energy levels in ¹³²La was studied using the reaction ¹⁰⁰Mo + ³⁶S at 160 MeV beam energy. The low-energy level scheme has been further developed and unambiguous spin and parity values have been assigned to the levels connecting the band to the 6^- isomeric state. According to the new level scheme the spins in the πh _11/2νh _11/2 band are shifted up by one unit compared to the earlier tentative experimental values. The obtained new spins prove the existence of signature inversion in ¹³²La and give further support to the spin assignments made for the πh _11/2νh _11/2 bands in the neighbouring odd-odd La isotopes from level energy systematics. Received: 7 May 2002 / Accepted: 31 October 2002 / Published online: 17 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: timar@atomki.hu RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università di Camerino, via Madonna delle Carceri, I-62032 Camerino, Italy. Communicated by J. ?yst?