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The jurogam 3 spectrometer has been constructed for in-beam $$\gamma $$γ-ray spectroscopy experiments in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. jurogam 3 consists of germanium-detector modules in a compact geometry surrounding a target to measure $$\gamma $$γ rays emitted from radioactive nuclei. jurogam 3 can be employed in conjunction with one of two recoil separators, the mara vacuum-mode separator or the ritu gas-filled separator, and other ancillary devices.

A projectile Coulomb-excitation experiment was performed at the radioactive ion beam facility HIE-ISOLDE at CERN. The radioactive 140Nd and 142Sm ions were post accelerated to the energy of 4.62 MeV/A and impinged on a 1.45 mg/cm2-thin 208Pb target. The γ rays depopulating the Coulomb-excited states were recorded by the HPGe-array MINIBALL. The scattered charged particles were detected by a double-sided silicon strip detector in forward direction. Experimental γ-ray intensities were used for the determination of electromagnetic transition matrix elements. Preliminary results for the reduced transition strength of the B ( M 1 ; 2 3 + → 2 1 + ) = 0.35 ( 19 ) μ N 2 of 140Nd and a first estimation for 142Sm have been deduced using the Coulomb-excitation calculation software GOSIA. The 2 3 + states of 140Nd and 142Sm show indications of being the main fragment of the proton-neutron mixed-symmetry 2 1 , ms + state.

High-spin states in the N = 128 nucleus 218Th have been investigated following fusion–evaporation reactions, using the recoil-decay tagging technique. Due to the short-lived nature of the ground state of 218Th prompt γ rays have been correlated with the α decay of the daughter nucleus 214Ra. The level scheme representing the decay of excited states has been extended to (16+) with the observation of six previously unreported transitions. The observations are compared with the results of shell model calculations and within the context of the systematics of neighbouring nuclei.

Data analysis of the Coulomb excitation experiment of the exotic 206Hg nucleus, recently performed at CERN’s HIE-ISOLDE facility, needs to account for the contribution to target excitation due to the strongly-present beam contaminant 130Xe. In this paper, the contamination subtraction procedure is presented.

Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient nucleus $$^{172}{\mathrm {Pt}}$$172Pt were populated via $$^{96}\mathrm {Ru}(^{78}\mathrm {Kr},2p)$$96Ru(78Kr,2p) and $$^{92}\mathrm {Mo}(^{83}\mathrm {Kr},3n)$$92Mo(83Kr,3n) reactions. The level scheme has been extended up to an excitation energy of $$\approx 5~\hbox {MeV}$$≈5MeV and tentative spin-parity assignments up to $$I^\pi = 18^+$$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 $$3^-$$3-. In addition, we observed an E3 transition from this $$3^-$$3- state to the ground state, providing direct evidence for octupole collectivity in $$^{172}{\mathrm {Pt}}$$172Pt. Large-scale shell model (LSSM) and total Routhian surface (TRS) calculations have been performed, supporting the interpretation of the $$3^-$$3- state as a collective octupole-vibrational state.

8 pags., 9 figs., We measured absolute cross sections for neutron transfer channels populated in the Rb-94 + Pb-208 binary reaction. Cross sections have been extracted identifying directly the lead isotopes with the high efficiency MINIBALL gamma-ray array coupled to a particle detector combined with a radioactive Rb-94 beam delivered at E-lab = 6.2 MeV/nucleon by the HIE-ISOLDE facility. We observed sizable cross sections in the neutron-rich mass region, where the heavy partner acquires neutrons. A fair agreement between the measured cross sections with those from GRAZING calculations gives confidence in the cross-section predictions of more neutron-rich nuclei produced via a larger number of transferred nucleons., This work was partly supported by the HORIZON 2020 ENSAR2 Grant Agreement no. 654002, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND (EU-CERN) grant agreement no. 665779, and by STFC (U.K.). This work has been supported in part by the Croatian Science Foundation under Project no. 7194 and in part under Project no. IP-2018-01- 1257, and the German BMBF under contract 05P18PKCIA + Verbundprojekt 05P2018

The quenching of the experimental spectroscopic factor for proton emission from the short-lived $d_{3/2}$ isomeric state in $^{151m}$Lu was a long-standing problem. In the present work, proton emission from this isomer has been reinvestigated in an experiment at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyv\"{a}skyl\"{a}. The proton-decay energy and half-life of this isomer were measured to be 1295(5) keV and 15.4(8) $\mu$s, respectively, in agreement with another recent study. These new experimental data can resolve the discrepancy in the spectroscopic factor calculated using the spherical WKB approximation. Using the R-matrix approach it is found that the proton formation probability indicates no significant hindrance for the proton decay of $^{151m}$Lu., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures

A multiparticle spin-trap isomeric state having a half-life of 179(4) ns and lying 2601 keV above the yrast 10(+) state in Lu-156 has been discovered. The Lu-156 nuclei were produced by bombarding ...

5 pags., 2 figs. -- Open Access funded by Creative Commons Atribution Licence 4.0. -- Presented at the XXXV Mazurian Lakes Conference on Physics, Piaski, Poland, September 3–9, 2017., The even–even nucleus 142Xe lies north-east of the doubly magic 132Sn on the neutron-rich side of the nuclear chart. In order to gain further information on the octupole collectivity and the evolution of quadrupole collectivity in this region, a “safe” Coulomb excitation experiment was carried out at the new HIE-ISOLDE facility (CERN) at the end of 2016. As the gamma-ray detector the Miniball spectrometer was used. Beam and target nuclei were detected using C-REX, i.e. an array of segmented Si detectors, covering forward as well as backward angles in the laboratory frame., This work is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under contract 05P15RDCIA, by the EU under contract ENSAR 262010, by ISOLDE and the IS548-MINIBALL Collaboration.

WOS: 000406755100001, Lifetimes of excited states in the yrast band of the neutron-deficient nuclide W-166 have been measured utilizing the DPUNS plunger device at the target position of the JUROGAM II gamma-ray spectrometer in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled separator and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer. Excited states in W-166 were populated in the Mo-92(Kr-78, 4p) reaction at a bombarding energy of 380 MeV. The measurements reveal a low value for the ratio of reduced transitions probabilities for the lowest-lying transitions B(E2; 4(+)-> 2(+)) / B(E2; 2(+)-> 0(+)) = 0.33(5), compared with the expected ratio for an axially deformed rotor (B-4/2 = 1.43)., EURONS (European Commission)European Commission Joint Research Centre [RII3-CT-2004-506065]; Academy of Finland under the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme (Nuclear and Accelerator Based Physics) [213503]; UK Science and Technology Facilities CouncilScience & Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Academy of FinlandAcademy of Finland [131665], This work has been supported through EURONS (European Commission Contract No. RII3-CT-2004-506065), the Academy of Finland under the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme 2006-2011 (Nuclear and Accelerator Based Physics Contract No. 213503), and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. The UK/France (STFC/IN2P3) Loan Pool and GAMMAPOOL network are acknowledged for the EUROGAMdetectors of JUROGAMII. T.G. acknowledge the support of the Academy of Finland (Contract No. 131665).

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 f ...

The heavy actinide nucleus 253No (Z = 102) was studied using the (S)ilicon (A)nd (Ge)rmanium (SAGE) spectrometer allowing simultaneous in-beam $\gamma$ -ray and conversion electron spectroscopy at the accelerator laboratory of the University of Jyvaskyla. Using the recoil-tagging technique, $\gamma$ -electron coincidences have allowed for the extension of the level scheme in the lower-spin region of the yrast band. In addition, internal conversion coefficient (ICC) measurements to establish the multipolarity of transitions have been performed. Measurement of the interband-intraband branching ratios supports the assignment of the Nilsson band-head configuration $9/2^{-}[734]$ assigned in previous studies. The study shows the viability of combined in-beam electron and $\gamma$ -ray spectroscopy down to μb cross sections.

The neutron-deficient ${}^{\mathrm{196,198}}$Pb isotopes have been studied in Coulomb-excitation experiments employing the Miniball γ-ray spectrometer and radioactive ion beams from the REX-ISOLDE post-accelerator at CERN. The reduced transition probabilities of the first excited 2+ states in 196Pb and 198Pb nuclei have been measured for the first time. Values of $B(E2)={18.2}_{-4.1}^{+4.8}$ W.u. and $B(E2)={13.1}_{-3.5}^{+4.9}$ W.u., were obtained, respectively. The experiment sheds light on the development of collectivity when moving from the regime governed by the generalised seniority scheme to a region, where intruding structures, associated with different deformed shapes, start to come down in energy and approach the spherical ground state. journal_title: Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics article_type: paper article_title: Collectivity in ${}^{\mathrm{196,198}}$Pb isotopes probed in Coulomb-excitation experiments at REX-ISOLDE copyright_information: © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd date_received: 2016-10-31 date_accepted: 2017-03-17 date_epub: 2017-05-03 ispartof: Journal of Physics G, Nuclear and Particle Physics vol:44 issue:6 status: published

Excited states in the neutron-deficient N = 84 nuclide Lu-155 have been populated by using the Pd-102(Ni-58, alpha p) reaction. The Lu-155 nuclei were separated by using the gas-filled recoil ion t ...

A new plunger device has been designed and built to measure the lifetimes of unbound states in exotic nuclei beyond the proton drip-line. The device has been designed to work in both vacuum and dilute-gas environments made possible through the introduction of a low-voltage stepping motor. DPUNS will be used in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU and the vacuum separator MARA at the accelerator laboratory of the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, to measure the lifetimes of excited states with low population cross-sections. This is achieved by eliminating the need for a carbon foil to isolate the helium gas of RITU from the beam line thus reducing the background from beam-foil reactions. The inclusion of a high-sampling rate data acquisition card increases further the sensitivity of the device. The plunger will be used to address many key facets of nuclear structure physics with particular emphasis on the effect of deformation on proton emission rates.

The recoil-β tagging technique has been used in conjunction with the 40 Ca(32 S ,2n) reaction at a beam energy of 88 MeV to identify transitions associated with the decay of the 2 + and, tentatively, 4 + states in the nucleus 70 Kr. These data are used, along with previously published data, to examine the triplet energy differences (TED) for the mass 70 isobars. The experimental TED values are compared with shell model calculations, performed with the JUN45 interaction in the fpg model space, that include a J = 0 isospin nonconserving (INC) interaction with an isotensor strength of 100 keV. The agreement is found to be very good up to spin 4 and supports the expectation for analog states that all three nuclei have the same oblate shape at low-spin. The A = 70 results are compared with the experimental and shell model predicted TED and mirror energy differences (MED) for the mass 66 and 74 systems. The comparisons clearly demonstrate the importance of the isotensor INC interaction in replicating the TED data in this region. Issues related to the observed MED values and their interpretation within the shell model are discussed.

The levels in Sn-129 populated from the beta(-) decay of In-129 isomers were investigated at the ISOLDE facility of CERN using the newly commissioned ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS). The lowest 1/2(+) state and the 3/2(+) ground state in 129Sn are expected to have configurations dominated by the neutron s(1/2) (l = 0) and d(3/2) (l = 2) single-particle states, respectively. Consequently, these states should be connected by a somewhat slow l-forbidden M1 transition. Using fast-timing spectroscopy we havemeasured the half-life of the 1/2(+) 315.3-keV state, T-1/2 = 19(10) ps, which corresponds to a moderately fast M1 transition. Shell-model calculations using the CD-Bonn effective interaction, with standard effective charges and g factors, predict a 4-ns half-life for this level. We can reconcile the shell-model calculations to the measured T-1/2 value by the renormalization of the M1 effective operator for neutron holes.

With the recent advances in radioactive ion beam technology, Coulomb excitation at safe energies becomes an important experimental tool in nuclear-structure physics. The usefulness of the technique to extract key information on the electromagnetic properties of nuclei has been demonstrated since the 1960's with stable beam and target combinations. New challenges present themselves when studying exotic nuclei with this technique, including dealing with low statistics or number of data points, absolute and relative normalisation of the measured cross sections and a lack of complimentary experimental data, such as excited-state lifetimes and branching ratios. This paper addresses some of these common issues and presents analysis techniques to extract transition strengths and quadrupole moments utilising the least-squares fit code, {\rmfamily \textsc{gosia}}., 14 pages, 10 figures, to be published in European Physical Journal A

A lifetime measurement has been made for the first excited 11/2(+) state in the proton-unbound nucleus (109)(53)I56 using the recoil-distance Doppler-shift method in conjunction with recoil-proton ...

We have investigated a commercially available polymer for its suitability as a solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD). We identified that polymer to be polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and found that it has a higher detection threshold compared to many other widely used SSNTDs which makes this detector particularly suitable for rare event search in cosmic rays as it eliminates the dominant low Z background. Systematic studies were carried out to determine its charge response which is essential before any new material can be used as an SSNTD. In this paper we describe the charge response of PET to 129 Xe, 78 Kr and 49 Ti ions from the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN, present the calibration curve for PET and characterize it as a nuclear track detector.

Excited states in the highly neutron-deficient nucleus W-162 have been investigated via the Mo-92(Kr-78, 2 alpha) W-162 reaction. Prompt gamma rays were detected by the JUROGAM II high-purity germa ...

Despite that it is more than 100 years since the atomic nucleus was first dis- covered by Ernest Rutherford and coworkers, many of its features still elude our understanding. The fact that the fundamental interactions between the nuclear constituents; nucleons, and ultimately quarks, are not yet known in detail, and the complexity of the nuclear many-body system compound the great challenges facing theoretical interpretations of experimental data. It is therefore important to focus on distinct phenomena where experimental mea- surements can be compared with theoretical predictions, providing stringent tests of theory. One such area is the nuclear phenomenology of collective excitations related to rotations and vibrations of the nucleus as a whole, and how such modes of excitation may develop from the interactions between a few nucleons occupying single-particle orbits outside closed shells.This thesis is devoted to experimental studies of excited states in the 99Tc, 162W, and 166Re nuclei. These nuclei lie in “transitional” regions of the Segre chart, where collective excitation mechanisms start becoming important when adding valence nucleons outside closed neutron and proton shells. Such nuclei are important for testing state-of-the-art theoretical models. The excited states of the nuclei studied in the present work were populated using heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reactions. Prior to the present work, high-spin data were still lacking in 99Tc since in the previous works [1–5] excited states were only populated up to around 3 MeV. Two collective bands have been extended to intermediate angular momentum states in the present work. The experimental results were compared with the systematics of other technetium isotopes, evaluating electromagnetic characteristics based on semiclassical calculations and the particle-rotor model. The 162W and 166Re nuclei are situated in the very neutron-deficient 160-170 mass region, requiring special techniques for identifying their excited-state structures. The level scheme of 162W was first reported by Dracoulis et al. in 1993 [6], where the first excited 2+ state was assigned to be 450 keV above the ground state. However, the lack of selectivity made the γ-ray identification for higher energy levels of 162W uncertain. In this work, the highly selective recoil-decay tagging technique was used to uniquely identify γ-ray transitions from excited states in 162W and to construct its level scheme. In addition, the experimental setup enabled a precise determination of the half-life of the α-decaying ground state of 162W. The α-formation probability for 162W was extracted from the measurement of the half-life and systematical comparisons with the neighboring nuclei were performed. Two rotational-like bands were identified in 166Re for the first time and the lifetimes of the lowest three excited states in band (1) were measured using the recoil distance Doppler shift method. The results were compared with theoretical calculations based on a semiclassical approach, the particle-rotor model, and the tilted axis cranking model in a relativistic mean field approach. The microscopic mechanisms (configuration and alignment, etc) of the rotational bands were interpreted under the framework of total Routhian surface predictions and cranked shell model calculations.

International audience; The SAGE spectrometer combines a Ge-detector array with a Si detector to allow simultaneous detection of gamma-rays and electrons. A comprehensive GEANT4 simulation package of the SAGE spectrometer has been developed with the ability to simulate the expected datasets based on user input files. The measured performance of the spectrometer is compared to the results obtained from the simulations.

Low-lying states in neutron-deficient astatine and francium nuclei have been studied by means of in-beam and delayed spectroscopy. The 13/2+ state has been observed in francium nuclei with a similar down-sloping trend as in neighbouring astatine and bismuth isotopes, as a function of decreasing neutron number. A systematic trend can also now be seen for the 1/2+ state both in astatine and francium nuclei, where the level energy decreases steeply as a function of neutron number when moving further away from the neutron shell closure. This trend is very similar between astatine nuclei and their francium isotones. Moreover, shape coexistence has been observed between the 13/2+ state and the spherical 9/2− ground state in 203Fr and 205Fr.

WOS: 000240847400007, The observation of the new nuclide Re-159(75)84 provides important insights into the evolution of single-particle structure and the mass surface in heavy nuclei beyond the proton drip line. This nuclide, 26 neutrons away from the nearest stable rhenium isotope, was synthesised in the reaction Cd-106(Ni-58, p4n) and identified via its proton radioactivity using the RITU gas-filled separator and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer. Comparisons of the measured proton energy (E-p = 1805 +/- 20 keV) and decay half-life (t(1/2) = 21 +/- 4 mu s) with values calculated using the WKB method indicate that the proton is emitted from an h(11/2) state. The implications of these results for future experimental investigations into even more proton unbound nuclei using in-flight separation techniques are considered. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., Science and Technology Facilities Council [EP/C543157/1, EP/C015371/1, EP/C015266/1, ST/G008671/1]

The stability of an atomic nucleus is determined by the outcome of a tug-of-war between the attractive strong nuclear force and the repulsive electrostatic force between the protons in the nucleus. If 100 protons and about 150 neutrons or more are assembled into a nucleus, the repulsion usually becomes dominant and causes the nucleus to fission. For certain 'magic numbers' of protons and neutrons this repulsion can be overcome and the nucleus stabilized. In particular an 'island of stability' is predicted beyond the actinides, where long-lived or even stable superheavy elements can exist, but its precise limits are unknown. Experiments can help determine where this island lies, however. Spectroscopy of the nobelium isotope, 254No reveals three excited structures, two of them metastable. This finding will help to constrain nuclear models of the superheavy elements, and provides more data for the search for the next magic numbers. Spectroscopic studies of the nobelium isotope 254No — the heaviest nucleus studied in this manner to date — details three excited structures, two of which are metastable, which should help to constrain nuclear models of the superheavy elements. A long-standing prediction of nuclear models is the emergence of a region of long-lived, or even stable, superheavy elements beyond the actinides. These nuclei owe their enhanced stability to closed shells in the structure of both protons and neutrons1,2,3. However, theoretical approaches to date do not yield consistent predictions of the precise limits of the ‘island of stability’; experimental studies are therefore crucial. The bulk of experimental effort so far has been focused on the direct creation of superheavy elements in heavy ion fusion reactions, leading to the production of elements up to proton number Z = 118 (refs 4, 5). Recently, it has become possible to make detailed spectroscopic studies6,7 of nuclei beyond fermium (Z = 100), with the aim of understanding the underlying single-particle structure of superheavy elements. Here we report such a study of the nobelium isotope 254No, with 102 protons and 152 neutrons—the heaviest nucleus studied in this manner to date. We find three excited structures, two of which are isomeric (metastable). One of these structures is firmly assigned to a two-proton excitation. These states are highly significant as their location is sensitive to single-particle levels above the gap in shell energies predicted at Z = 114, and thus provide a microscopic benchmark for nuclear models of the superheavy elements.

An in-beam study of the transfermium nucleus 252No has been performed using the JUROSPHERE II array of germanium detectors coupled to the gas-filled recoil separator RITU. A new technique of recoil-fission tagging was used to extract tagged γ-ray data. Having significant spontaneous fission and α-decay branches, 252No is an ideal candidate for a comparative study. In a similar manner to α-decay tagging the fission events can be used to obtain γ-ray data. The recoil-fission tagged γ-ray spectrum showed a similar structure to the α-decay tagged γ-ray spectrum. By comparing the α-tagged and fission-tagged spectra and decay curves, it was shown that the spontaneous fission originates from the same initial state as the α decay. This extension of the tagging method allows in-beam spectroscopic data to be obtained from heavy nuclei with significant spontaneous-fission branches.

Evidence for the decay of non-yrast states in 254No has been observed for the first time in an experiment performed at the University of Jyvaskyla. The experiment employed the JUROGAM array of germanium detectors coupled to the gas-filled recoil separator RITU and the focal-plane spectrometer GREAT. The ground-state rotational band has been tentatively extended up to a spin of 24ℏ and has a smoothly behaving dynamical moment of inertia. It is speculated that the observation of high-energy γ-rays is due to the decay of a K = 3 band-head state.

The exploitation of the recoil-decay tagging (RDT) technique has reinvigorated experimental investigations of the shape coexistence phenomenon in heavy neutron-deficient nuclei. In a recent experiment using the JUROGAM and GREAT spectrometers in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled separator, excited states have been investigated in the light platinum isotopes. In addition to extending the yrast sequences in 170Pt and 172Pt, the first observation of excited states in the odd-N isotopes, 169Pt and 173Pt, is reported. The bands are discussed in terms of trends in level excitation energies as a function of neutron number.

An experiment has been performed in Jyvaskyla, Finland, using Jurogam in conjunction with RITU and GREAT. This experiment populated several extremely neutron-deficient nuclei around the mass-140 region of the nuclei chart, using the 92Mo(54Fe, α2n) reaction at 245 MeV. Analysis of these data has revealed several previously unobserved isomeric states, in several nuclei. One of these has been assigned to 143Dy with a half-life of 1.2 ± 0.3 µs. The energies of the prompt γ rays in the band built upon the isomer are in agreement with those previously observed.

In recent years, the exploitation of the iecoil-decay tagging (RDT) technique with,large arrays of germanium detectors has revealed much information about the structure of heavy nuclei approaching the proton drip line. The yrast bands of the N

Prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy of very neutron-deficient bismuth isotopes 187, 189Bi has been performed using the recoil decay tagging method. A rotational band has been observed in 189Bi and is interpreted as a complete decoupling of a single proton from the deformed lead core. The results for 187Bi suggest a similar structure and coupling scheme. This study gives the first evidence for a prolate band in a light bismuth nucleus and confirms the prolate character of the low-lying rotational band observed in the core nuclei 188Pb and 186Pb.

Detailed alpha-decay studies have been performed for the neutron-deficient isotopes 191At and 193At. The nuclei were produced in fusion-evaporation reactions of 54Fe and 56Fe ions with a 141Pr target. The fusion products were separated in-flight using a gas-filled recoil separator and implanted into a position-sensitive silicon detector. The isotopes were identified using position, time and energy correlations between the implants and subsequent alpha-decays. Three alpha-decaying states were identified for 193At and two for 191At. The spin and parity of the initial states in the astatine isotopes were deduced based on unhindered alpha-decays to states in the bismuth daughter nuclei. In both astatine isotopes the 1/2+ intruder state was determined to be the ground state and a 7/2- state to be the first-excited state. In 193At the alpha-decay of the 13/2+ state was observed in coincidence with a previously known gamma-ray transition from the 13/2+ state in the corresponding daughter nucleus 189Bi. In 187Bi and 189Bi low-lying 7/2- states were observed for the first time via alpha-decay of the mother nuclei.

A number of previously unobserved gamma-rays emitted from the neutron-deficient nuclide Pt-171 have been identified using the recoil decay tagging technique. The level scheme has been updated using ...

The techniques of recoil-gating and recoil-decay tagging have been employed at Jyvaskyla to perform in-beam γ-ray and electron spectroscopy studies of heavy nuclei. The JUROSPHERE γ-ray array and the SACRED electron spectrometer have been placed at the target position of the JYFL gas-filled recoil separator recoil ion transport unit (RITU). The RITU separator has been used to collect the recoils of interest and separate them from beam particles and fission products. At the focal plane a detector system consisting of time-of-flight and implantation detectors has been used for further event identification. The method and some highlights from the results in the lead region close to the proton drip line and in the transuranium region will be presented and discussed.

Gamma-rays from the alpha- and proton-unstable nuclide 171Au have been observed for the first time. The gamma-rays were correlated with both a proton- and an alpha-particle decay branch, confirming that the nucleus decays by alpha and proton emission from a single (11/2-) state. The measurement confirms the previously determined half-lives for these particle decays but the present values are of higher precision. In addition, a longer half-life than determined in previous work was measured for the proton-unstable tentative ground state. The results are discussed in relation to structures in neighbouring nuclei and compared with a Strutinsky-type TRS calculation.

In recent years (1996-2001) the recoil-decay tagging technique has been employed with great success at the Department of Physics of the University of Jyvaskyla. Various arrays of germanium detectors have been coupled to the RITU gas-filled separator in order to study nuclei far from stability. An overview of the physics studied with these arrays, along with discussion of technical development of the RITU separator, is presented. Even with a comparatively modest array of germanium detectors it has been possible to study nuclei produced with cross-sections as low as 200 nb.

Prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy of very neutron-deficient bismuth isotopes 187, 189Bi has been performed using the Recoil Decay Tagging (RTD) method. The isomeric i 13/2 states have been identified and their lifetimes have been measured. The systematics of these long-lived M2 isomers has been extended to the proton-unbound isotopes. The general behaviour of single-proton states is discussed within the systematics and interpreted within the shell-model framework.

The JYFL gas-filled recoil separator RITU, combined with Ge detector arrays and a SACRED magnetic solenoid spectrometer, has been successfully employed in recoil-decay-tagging (RDT) experiments in order to probe structures of very neutron-deficient heavy nuclei. The present contribution focuses on the light Pb region where the new data extend the systematics of shape-coexisting yrast states towards the proton dripline. Similarities between band structures and their relation to possible multi-particle multi-hole intruder excitations will be discussed.

International audience; Electromagnetic transition strengths and spectroscopic quadrupole moments for Sm-140 were measured by means of multi-step Coulomb excitation with radioactive beam at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. A complementary experiment was performed at the Heavy Ion Laboratory in Warsaw to assign spins for non-yrast states using the angular correlation technique. Based on the new experimental data previous spin assignments need to be revised.

The SAGE spectrometer has been constructed for in-beam nuclear structure studies. SAGE combines a Ge-detector array and an electron spectrometer for detection of $ \gamma$ -rays and internal conversion electrons, respectively, and allows simultaneous observation of both electrons and $ \gamma$ -rays emitted from excited nuclei. SAGE is set up in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaskyla and works in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled recoil separator and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer allowing the use of the recoil-decay tagging method.

) transition strengths [1] and thenumber of nucleons in the valence shell. The global behaviorof these quantities between the major shells as a function ofthe nucleon number is well understood in the frameworks ofboth collective and microscopic models. One could expect thatthese general trends in the collective properties between themajorshellsaremodulated bythesubshellstructure.However,it is usually thought that the pairing correlations with anenergy scale of about 2 MeV, smear out and dissolve thesubshell structure as long as the separation energies betweenthe subshells are only about a few hundred keV.The recently observed evolution of the isovectorquadrupole-collective valence-shell excitations in the

Very neutron deficient francium isotopes have been produced in fusion evaporation reactions using ${}^{60}$Ni ions on ${}^{141}$Pr targets. The gas-filled recoil separator RITU was employed to collect the fusion products and to separate them from the scattered beam. The activities were implanted into a position sensitive silicon detector after passing through a gas-counter system. The isotopes were identified using spatial and time correlations between the implants and the decays. Two $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle activities, with ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=7613(15)$ keV and ${T}_{1/2}$ $=$ (${15}_{\ensuremath{-}5}^{+12}$) ms and ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=7684(15)$ keV and ${T}_{1/2}$ $=$ (${16}_{\ensuremath{-}5}^{+13}$) ms were identified in the new isotope ${}^{198}$Fr. In addition, the half-life and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle energy of ${}^{199}$Fr were measured with improved precision. The measured decay properties deduced for ${}^{199}$Fr and ${}^{198}$Fr suggest that there is an onset of ground-state deformation at $N=112$ in the Fr isotopes.

Excited states in the neutron-deficient isotopes Os-163 and Os-165 were identified using the JUROGAM and GREAT spectrometers in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled separator. The Os-163 and Os-165 nuclei were populated via the Cd-106(Ni-60,3n) and Mo-92(Kr-78,2p3n) reactions at bombarding energies of 270 MeV and 357 MeV, respectively. Gamma-ray emissions from these nuclei have been established unambiguously using the recoil-decay tagging technique and a coincidence analysis has allowed level schemes to be established. These results suggest that the yrast states are based upon negative-parity configurations originating from the f(7/2) and h(9/2) orbitals.

The Miniball germanium detector array has been operational at the REX (Radioactive ion beam EXperiment) post accelerator at the Isotope Separator On-Line facility ISOLDE at CERN since 2001. During the last decade, a series of successful Coulomb excitation and transfer reaction studies have been performed with this array, utilizing the unique and high-quality radioactive ion beams which are available at ISOLDE. In this article, an overview is given of the technical details of the full Miniball setup, including a description of the γ-ray and particle detectors, beam monitoring devices and methods to deal with beam contamination. The specific timing properties of the REX-ISOLDE facility are highlighted to indicate the sensitivity that can be achieved with the full Miniball setup. The article is finalized with a summary of some physics highlights at REX-ISOLDE and the utilization of the Miniball germanium detectors at other facilities. © The Author(s) 2013. ispartof: European Physical Journal A, Hadrons and Nuclei vol:49 issue:3 pages:1-32 status: published