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The mean lifetimes of the lowest energy 2(+), 8(+) and 9(-) states in Os-166 have been measured using the recoil distance Doppler-shift method in conjunction with a selective recoil-decay tagging technique. These measurements extend studies into the most neutron-deficient mass region accessible to current experimental methods. The B(E2; 2(+) -> 0(+)) = 7(2) W.u. extracted from these measurements is markedly lower than those observed in the heavier even-mass Os isotopes. The 8(+) and 9(-) states yield reduced transition probabilities that are consistent with single-particle transitions. While these values may indicate a departure from collective structure, the level scheme and the underlying nuclear configurations can also be interpreted in terms of a simple collective picture. This contrasting behaviour suggests an intriguing dichotomy in the description of heavy transitional nuclei., QC 20211101

Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient nucleus 172Pt were populated via 96Ru(78Kr,2p) and 92Mo(83Kr,3n) reactions. The level scheme has been extended up to an excitation energy of ~ 5 MeV and tentative spin-parity assignments up to Iπ = 18+. Linear polarization and angular distribution measurements were used to determine the electromagnetic E1 character of the dipole transitions connecting the positive-parity ground-state band with an excited side-band, firmly establishing it as a negative-parity band. The lowest member of this negative-parity structure was firmly assigned spin-parity 3-. In addition, we observed an E3 transition from this 3- state to the ground state, providing direct evidence for octupole collectivity in 172Pt. Large-scale shell model (LSSM) and total Routhian surface (TRS) calculations have been performed, supporting the interpretation of the 3- state as a collective octupole-vibrational state., QC 20200427

Lifetimes of negative-parity states have been determined in the neutron deficient semi-magic (N = 50) nucleus Rh-95. The fusion-evaporation reaction Ni-58(Ca-40, 3p) was used to populate high-spin states in Rh-95 at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator facility. The results were obtained using the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM) based on the Doppler broadened line shapes produced during the slowing down process of the residual nuclei in a thick 6 mg/cm(2) metallic target. B(M1) and B(E2) reduced transition strengths are compared with predictions from large-scale shell-model calculations. state-of-the-art theory. Remarkably, the structural features up to moderate angular momentum of nuclei immediately below the N = Z = 50 shell closures can be described with high accuracy in a very simple way by shell-model calculations including only the g(9/2) and p(1/2) subshells. Of special interest is the neutron-proton pair coupling scheme which is expected to appear in the heaviest N=Z nuclei [1,2] and the seniority structure of the N = 50 isotones [3-7]. However, multiple core-excited states have been observed in the semi-magic nuclei of the Sn-100 region [8-10]. The theoretical study of those states is a challenging task, which requires a significantly larger model space for their interpretation. Transition probabilities between nuclear states provide important constraints for theoretical modelling of the structure of the nuclei of interest. Our previous lifetime study of the semimagic (N = 50) nucleus Ru-94 [ 11,12] provided information on the electromagnetic decay properties of neutron-core excited states. We now address lifetime measurements in its closest, more neutron deficient, isotone Rh-95 using the same DSAM technique. The experimental results have been interpreted within the framework of large-scale shell-model (LSSM) calculations., QC 20201217

Lifetimes of high-spin states have been measured in the semi-magic (N = 50) nucleus Ru-94. Excited states in Ru-94 were populated in the Ni-58(Ca-40, 4p)Ru-94* fusion-evaporation reaction at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator complex. DSAM lifetime analysis was performed on the Doppler broadened line shapes in energy spectra obtained from gamma-rays emitted while the residual nuclei were slowing down in a thick 6 mg/cm(2) metallic Ni-58 target. In total eight excited-state lifetimes in the angular momentum range I = (13-20)h have been measured, five of which were determined for the first time. The corresponding B(M1) and B(E2) reduced transition strengths are discussed within the framework of large-scale shell model calculations to study the contribution of different particle-hole configurations, in particular for analyzing contributions from core-excited configurations., QC 20180917

Doppler Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM) analysis of excited-state lifetimes normally employs thin production targets mounted on a thick stopper foil ("backing") serving to slow down and stop the recoiling nuclei of interest in a well-defined manner. Use of a thick, homogeneous production target leads to a more complex analysis as it results in a substantial decrease in the energy of the incident projectile which traverses the target with an associated change in the production cross section of the residues as a function of penetration depth. Here, a DSAM lifetime analysis using a thick homogeneous target has been verified using the Doppler broadened lineshapes of gamma rays following the decay of highly excited states in the semi-magic (N = 50) nucleus Ru-94. Lifetimes of excited states in the Ru-94 nucleus have been obtained using a modified version of the LINESHAPE package from the Doppler broadened lineshapes resulting from the emission of the gamma rays, while the residual nuclei were slowing down in the thick (6 mg/cm(2)) metallic Ni-58 target. The results have been validated by comparison with a previous measurement using a different (RDDS) technique., QC 20170508

Mirror energy differences (MED) are a direct consequence of isospin symmetry breaking. Moreover, the study of MED has proved to give valuable information of several nuclear structure properties. We present the results of an experiment performed in GANIL to study the MED in mirror nuclei Mg-23-Na-23 up to high spin. The experimental values are compared with state-of-the-art shell model calculations. This permits to enlighten several nuclear structure properties, such as the way in which the nucleons alignment proceeds, the radius variation with J, the role of the spin-orbit interaction and the importance of isospin symmetry breaking terms of nuclear origin., QC 20170508

Lifetimes of the first excited 2(+) states in the extremely neutron- deficient W-162 and W-164 nuclei have been measured using the recoil distance Doppler shift technique. Experimental B(E2) data for the isotopic chains of hafnium, tungsten, and osmium, from the midshell region near the beta-stability line towards the N = 82 closed shell and the most neutron-deficient nuclides, are compared with predictions of nuclear deformations and 2(1)(+) -> 0(g.s)(.+) reduced transition strengths from different classes of state-of-the-art theoretical model calculations. The results reveal striking differences and deficiencies in the predictive power of current nuclear structure models., QC 20170601

Background: In the neutron-rich A approximate to 100 mass region, rapid shape changes as a function of nucleon number as well as coexistence of prolate, oblate, and triaxial shapes are predicted by various theoretical models. Lifetime measurements of excited levels in the molybdenum isotopes allow the determination of transitional quadrupole moments, which in turn provides structural information regarding the predicted shape change. Purpose: The present paper reports on the experimental setup, the method that allowed one to measure the lifetimes of excited states in even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A = 100 up to mass A = 108, and the results that were obtained. Method: The isotopes of interest were populated by secondary knock-out reaction of neutron-rich nuclei separated and identified by the GSI fragment separator at relativistic beam energies and detected by the sensitive PreSPEC-AGATA experimental setup. The latter included the Lund-York-Cologne calorimeter for identification, tracking, and velocity measurement of ejectiles, and AGATA, an array of position sensitive segmented HPGe detectors, used to determine the interaction positions of the gamma ray enabling a precise Doppler correction. The lifetimes were determined with a relativistic version of the Doppler-shift-attenuation method using the systematic shift of the energy after Doppler correction of a gamma-ray transition with a known energy. This relativistic Doppler-shift-attenuation method allowed the determination of mean lifetimes from 2 to 250 ps. Results: Even-even molybdenum isotopes from mass A = 100 to A = 108 were studied. The decays of the low-lying states in the ground-state band were observed. In particular, two mean lifetimes were measured for the first time: tau = 29.7(-9.1)(+11.3) ps for the 4(+) state of Mo-108 and tau = 3.2(-0.7)(+ 0.7) ps for the 6(+) state of Mo-102. Conclusions: The reduced transition strengths B(E2), calculated from lifetimes measured in this experiment, compare, QC 20170519

Monte Carlo simulations of one of the possible configurations of the imaging phase for the DEGAS spectrometer situated at the DESPEC/NUSTAR experiment have been performed. The geometry consists of the coupling of the high-resolution gamma spectroscopy array, AGATA, with a high-resolution segmented planar detector utilized as an implantation detector in a compact configuration. The sensitivity and performance of the array in terms of efficiency and imaging capability is deduced., QC 20171121

Excited states in the neutron-deficient odd-odd proton-unbound nuclide Ta-158 have been investigated in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, Ir-166 nuclei were produced in the reactions of 380 MeV Kr-78 ions with an isotopically enriched Mo-92 target. The alpha-decay chain of the 9(+) state in Ir-166 was analyzed. Fine structure in the a decay of the 9(+) state in Re-162 established a 66 keV difference in excitation energy between the lowest-lying 9(+) and 10(+) states in Ta-158. Higher-lying states in Ta-158 were populated in the reactions of 255 MeV Ni-58 ions with an isotopically enriched Pd-102 target. Gamma-ray decay paths that populate, depopulate, and bypass a 19(-) isomeric state have been identified. The general features of the deduced level scheme are discussed and the prospects for observing proton emission branches from excited states are considered., QC 20160406

Lifetimes of excited states in the neutron-deficient odd-odd nucleus Re-166 have been measured for the first time using the recoil distance Doppler-shift method. The measured lifetime for the (8(-)) state; tau = 480 (80) ps, enabled an assessment of the multipolarities of the gamma rays depopulating this state. Information on electromagnetic transition strengths were deduced for the gamma-ray transitions from the (9(-)), (10(-)), and (11(-)) states, and in the case of the (10(-)) and (11(-)) states limits on the B (M1) and B(E2) strengths were estimated. The results are compared with total Routhian surface predictions and semiclassical calculations. Tilted-axis cranking calculations based on a relativistic mean-field approach (TAC-RMF) have also been performed in order to test the possibility of magnetic rotation in the 166Re nucleus. While the TAC-RMF calculations predict a quadrupole-deformed nuclear shape with similar beta(2) deformation as obtained by using the TRS model, it was found that the experimental electromagnetic transition rates are in better agreement with a collective -rotational description., QC 20160406

Excited states in the odd-odd, highly neutron-deficient nucleus Re-166 have been investigated via the Mo-92(Kr-78, 3p1n)Re-166 reaction. Prompt gamma rays were detected by the JUROGAM II. gamma-ray spectrometer, and the recoiling fusion-evaporation products were separated by the recoil ion transport unit (RITU) gas-filled recoil separator and implanted into the Gamma Recoil Electron Alpha Tagging spectrometer located at the RITU focal plane. The tagging and coincidence techniques were applied to identify the gamma-ray transitions in Re-166, revealing two collective, strongly coupled rotational structures, for the first time. The more strongly populated band structure is assigned to the pi h(11/2)[514]9/2(-) circle times vi(13/2)[660]1/2(+) Nilsson configuration, while the weaker structure is assigned to be built on a two-quasiparticle state of mixed pi h(11/2)[514]9/2(-) circle times v[h(9/2)f(7/2)]3/2(-) character. The configuration assignments are based on the electromagnetic characteristics and rotational properties, in comparison with predictions from total Routhian surface and particle-rotor model calculations.

The lifetime of the 2(+) --> 0(g.s.)(+) transition in the neutron-deficicient nucleus Te-112 has been measured for the first time using the DPUNS plunger and the recoil distance Doppler shift technique. The deduced value for the reduced transition probability is B(E2 :0(g.s.)(+) --> 2(+)) = 0.46 +/- 0.04 e(2)b(2), indicating that there is no unexpected enhancement of the B(E2 :0(g.s.)(+) --> 2(+)) values in Te isotopes below the midshell. The result is compared to and discussed in the framework of large-scale shell-model calculations., QC 20150713

The level structure of the neutron-rich Cu-69, Cu-71, and Cu-73 isotopes has been investigated by means of multinucleon transfer reactions. The experiment was performed at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro using the AGATA Demonstrator array coupled to the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer. Lifetimes of excited states in Cu nuclei were measured with the recoil-distance Doppler-shift method. The resulting electromagnetic matrix elements for transitions from excited states in Cu-69,Cu-71,Cu-73 nuclei are used to assess the collective or single-particle character of these states. The results are compared with predictions of large-scale shell-model calculations, giving further insight into the evolution of the proton pf shell as neutrons fill the 1g(9/2) orbital., QC 20150507

We present results of Monte Carlo simulations for the conceptual design of the high-resolution DESPEC Germanium Array Spectrometer (DEGAS) proposed for the Facility for Ion and Antiproton Research (FAIR) under construction at Darmstadt, Germany. The project is carried out in three phases, although only results for the two first phases will be addressed in this work. The first phase will consist of a re-arrangement of the EUROBALL cluster detectors previously used in the RISING campaign at GSI. The second phase is based on coupling AGATA-type triple-cluster detectors with EUROBALL cluster detectors in a compact geometry around the active ion implantation target of DESPEC., QC 20150817

The neutron-deficient semimagic (neutron number N = 50) Rh-95 nucleus has been produced at high spins using the projectile-target system Ca-40 + Ni-58 at 125 MeV beam energy. The gamma-decays of levels populated by the 3p fusion evaporation reaction channel were studied using gamma-gamma coincidences, and 20 new gamma-ray transitions involving 15 new positive-and negative-parity states were observed. Spin and parity for many of the excited states were firmly deduced for the first time using the combined directional angular correlation and direction-polarization techniques. The observed structures are discussed within the framework of large-scale shell model calculations. E1 transition strengths were deduced and used together with the results of the shell model calculations to study the contribution of different particle-hole configurations, in particular for analyzing contributions from core-excited configurations., QC 20140516. Updated from manuscript to article in journal.

QS 2014

To understand the low-energy structure of the neutron deficient iodine isotopes, lifetimes for the low-lying 9/2(+) and 11/2(+) positive-parity states in I-113 have been measured as tau = 28(4) ps and tau = 3.7(7) ps, respectively. The lifetime for the 11/2(-) state, which feeds the 9/2(+) and 11/2(+) states, was remeasured with improved accuracy as tau = 216(7) ps. The reduced transition probability, B(E2) = 32(5) W.u., for the 9/2(+) -> 5/2(+) transition agrees with that calculated within the shell model using a Hamiltonian based on the charge-dependent Bonn nucleon-nucleon interaction. In contrast, the much larger transition probability, B(E2) = 209(39) W.u., measured for the 11/2(+) -> 7/2(+) transition has been interpreted, with the aid of configuration-constrained total Routhian surface calculations, as resulting from a slightly gamma-soft rotor with an associated quadrupole deformation of beta(2) approximate to 0.18. Remarkably similar reduced E1 transition probabilities of 5.5(5) x 10(-4) and 4.9(5) x 10(-4) W.u. were deduced for the 11/2(-) -> 9/2(+) and 11/2(-) -> 11/2(+) transitions, respectively, which feed apparently dissimilar but competing structures., QC 20131210

Lifetimes of high-spin states have been measured in the semi-magic (N=50) nucleus 94Ru. Excited states in 94Ru were populated in the 58Ni(40Ca, 4p)94Ru∗ fusion-evaporation reaction at the Grand Accelerateur National d’Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator complex. DSAM lifetime analysis was performed on the Doppler broadened line shapes in energy spectra obtained from γ-rays emitted while the residual nuclei were slowing down in a thick 6 mg/cm2 metallic 58Ni target. In total eight excited-state lifetimes in the angular momentum range I = (13 − 20)ħ have been measured, five of which were determined for the first time. The deduced corresponding B(M1) and B(E2)reduced transition strengths are discussed within the framework of large-scale shell model calculations to study the contribution of different particle-hole configurations, in particular for analyzing contributions from core-excited configurations., QC 20171109

Lifetimes of negative-parity states have been determined in the semi-magic (N=50) nucleus 95Rh. The fusion-evaporation reaction 58Ni(40Ca, 3p) was used to populate high-spin states in 95Rh at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator facility. The results were obtained using the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM) based on the Doppler broadened line shapes produced during the slowing down process of the residual nuclei in a thick 6~ mg/cm2 metallic target. B(M1) and B(E2) reduced transition strengths are compared with predictions from large-scale shell-model calculations., QC 20200409