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The low-lying excited states in the neutron-deficient N = Z + 1 nucleus (87)(43)Tcc(44) have been studied via the fusion-evaporation reaction Fe-54(Ar-36, 2n1p)Tc-87 at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL), France. The AGATA spectrometer was used in conjunction with the auxiliary NEDA, Neutron Wall, and DIAMANT detector arrays to measure coincident prompt gamma rays, neutrons, and charged particles emitted in the reaction. A level scheme of Tc-87 from the (9/2(g.s.)(+)) state to the (33/2(1)(+)) state was established based on six mutually coincident gamma-ray transitions. The constructed level structure exhibits a rotational behavior with a sharp backbending at (h) over bar omega approximate to 0.50 MeV. A decrease in alignment frequency and increase in alignment sharpness in the odd-mass isotonic chains around N = 44 is proposed as an effect of the enhanced isoscalar neutron-proton interactions in odd-mass nuclei when approaching the N = Z line. Title in WoS: Evidence for enhanced neutron-proton correlations from the level structure of the N = Z+1 nucleus Tc-87(43)44

To test the predictive power of ab initio nuclear structure theory, the lifetime of the second 2(+) state in neutron-rich O-20, tau(2(2)(+)) = 150(-30)(+80) fs, and an estimate for the lifetime of the second 2(+) state in C-16 have been obtained for the first time. The results were achieved via a novel Monte Carlo technique that allowed us to measure nuclear state lifetimes in the tens-to-hundreds of femtoseconds range by analyzing the Doppler-shifted gamma-transition line shapes of products of low-energy transfer and deep-inelastic processes in the reaction O-18 (7.0 MeV/u) + Ta-181. The requested sensitivity could only be reached owing to the excellent performances of the Advanced gamma-Tracking Array AGATA, coupled to the PARIS scintillator array and to the VAMOS++ magnetic spectrometer. The experimental lifetimes agree with predictions of ab initio calculations using two- and three-nucleon interactions, obtained with the valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group for O-20 and with the no-core shell model for C-16. The present measurement shows the power of electromagnetic observables, determined with high-precision gamma spectroscopy, to assess the quality of first-principles nuclear structure calculations, complementing common benchmarks based on nuclear energies. The proposed experimental approach will be essential for short lifetime measurements in unexplored regions of the nuclear chart, including r-process nuclei, when intense beams, produced by Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) techniques, become available.

International audience; The low-lying energy spectrum of the extremely neutron-deficient self-conjugate ($N$=Z) nuclide $^{88}_{44}$Ru$_{44}$ has been measured using the combination of the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) spectrometer, the NEDA and Neutron Wall neutron detector arrays, and the DIAMANT charged particle detector array. Excited states in $^{88}$Ru were populated via the $^{54}$Fe($^{36}$Ar,2n$γ$)$^{88}$Ru* fusion-evaporation reaction at the Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator complex. The observed $γ$-ray cascade is assigned to $^{88}$Ru using clean prompt $γ$-$γ$-2-neutron coincidences in anticoincidence with the detection of charged particles, confirming and extending the previously assigned sequence of low-lying excited states. It is consistent with a moderately deformed rotating system exhibiting a band crossing at a rotational frequency that is significantly higher than standard theoretical predictions with isovector pairing, as well as observations in neighboring $N>Z$ nuclides. The direct observation of such a “delayed” rotational alignment in a deformed $N$=Z nucleus is in agreement with theoretical predictions related to the presence of strong isoscalar neutron-proton pair correlations.

The low-lying energy spectrum of the extremely neutron-deficient self-conjugate (N = Z) nuclide Ru-88(44)44 has been measured using the combination of the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) spectrometer, the NEDA and Neutron Wall neutron detector arrays, and the DIAMANT charged particle detector array. Excited states in Ru-88 were populated via the Fe-54(Ar-36, 2n gamma)Ru-88* fusion-evaporation reaction at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL) accelerator complex. The observed gamma-ray cascade is assigned to Ru-88 using clean prompt gamma-gamma-2-neutron coincidences in anticoincidence with the detection of charged particles, confirming and extending the previously assigned sequence of low-lying excited states. It is consistent with a moderately deformed rotating system exhibiting a band crossing at a rotational frequency that is significantly higher than standard theoretical predictions with isovector pairing, as well as observations in neighboring N > Z nuclides. The direct observation of such a "delayed" rotational alignment in a deformed N = Z nucleus is in agreement with theoretical predictions related to the presence of strong isoscalar neutron-proton pair correlations.

Lifetimes of the excited states in the neutron-rich Ti-52,Ti-54 nuclei, produced in a multinucleon-transfer reaction, were measured by employing the Cologne plunger device and the recoil-distance Doppler-shift method. The experiment was performed at the Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds facility by using the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array for the gamma-ray detection, coupled to the large-acceptance variable mode spectrometer for an event-by-event particle identification. A comparison between the transition probabilities obtained from the measured lifetimes of the 2(1)(+) to 8(1)(+) yrast states in Ti-52,Ti-54 and that from the shell-model calculations based on the well-established GXPF1A, GXPF1B, and KB3G fp shell interactions support the N = 32 subshell closure. The B(E2) values for Ti-52 determined in this work are in disagreement with the known data, but are consistent with the predictions of the shell-model calculations and reduce the previously observed pronounced staggering across the even-even titanium isotopes.

A lifetime measurement of the 19/2(-) state in Pb-207 has been performed using the Recoil Distance Doppler-Shift (RDDS) method. The nuclei of interest were produced in multi-nucleon transfer reactions induced by a Pb-208 beam impinging on a Mo-100 enriched target. The beam-like nuclei were detected and identified in terms of their atomic mass number in the VAMOS++ spectrometer while the prompt gamma rays were detected by the AGATA tracking array. The measured large reduced transition probability B(E3, 19/2(-) -> 13/2(+)) = 40(8) W.u. is the first indication of the octupole phonon at high spin in Pb-207. An analysis in terms of a particle-octupole-vibration coupling model indicates that the measured B(E3) value in Pb-207 is compatible with the contributions from single-phonon and single particle E3 as well as E3 strength arising from the double-octupole-phonon 6(+) state, all adding coherently. A crucial aspect of the coupling model, namely the strong mixing between single-hole and the phonon-hole states, is confirmed in a realistic shell-model calculation. Crown Copyright (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.

The neutron-rich nucleus Pt-200 is investigated via in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy to study the shape evolution in the neutron-rich platinum isotopes towards the N = 126 shell closure. The two-neutron transfer reaction Pt-198(Se-82, Se-80)Pt-200 is used to populate excited states of Pt-200. The Advanced Gamma Ray Tracking Array (AGATA) demonstrator coupled with the PRISMA spectrometer detects gamma rays coincident with the Se-80 recoils, the binary partner of Pt-200. The binary partner method is applied to extract the gamma-ray transitions and build the level scheme of Pt-200. The level at 1884 keV reported by Yates et al. [S. W. Yates, E. M. Baum, E. A. Henry, L. G. Mann, N. Roy, A. Aprahamian, R. A. Meyer, and R. Estep, Phys. Rev. C 37, 1889 (1988)] was confirmed to be at 1882.1 keV and assigned as the (6(1)(+)) state. An additional gamma ray was found and it presumably deexcites the (8(1)(+)) state. The results are compared with state-of-the-art beyond mean-field calculations, performed for the even-even Pt190-204 isotopes, revealing that Pt-200 marks the transition from the gamma-unstable behavior of lighter Pt nuclei towards a more spherical one when approaching the N = 126 shell closure.

Reduced quadrupole transition probabilities for low-lying transitions in neutron-rich Se-84,Se-86 are investigated with a recoil distance Doppler shift (RDDS) experiment. The experiment was performed at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro using the Cologne Plunger device for the RDDS technique and the AGATA Demonstrator array for the gamma-ray detection coupled to the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer for an event-by-event particle identification. In Se-86 the level lifetime of the yrast 2(1)(+) state and an upper limit for the lifetime of the 4(1)(+) state are determined for the first time. The results of Se-86 are in agreement with previously reported predictions of large-scale shell-model calculations using Ni78-I and Ni78-II effective interactions. In addition, intrinsic shape parameters of lowest yrast states in Se-86 are calculated. In semimagic Se-84 level lifetimes of the yrast 4(1)(+) and 6(1)(+) states are determined for the first time. Large-scale shell-model calculations using effective interactions Ni78-II, JUN45, jj4b, and jj4pna are performed. The calculations describe B(E2; 2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) and B(E2; 6(1)(+) -> 4(1)(+)) fairly well and point out problems in reproducing the experimental B(E2; 4(1)(+) -> 2(1)(+)).

WOS: 000318527400007 Background: Neutron-rich nuclei with protons in the fp shell show an onset of collectivity around N=40. Spectroscopic information is required to understand the underlying mechanism and to determine the relevant terms of the nucleon-nucleon interaction that are responsible for the evolution of the shell structure in this mass region. Methods: We report on the lifetime measurement of the first 2(+) and 4(+) states in Zn-70,Zn-72 ,Zn-74 and the first 6(+) state in Zn-72 using the recoil distance Doppler shift method. The experiment was carried out at the INFN Laboratory of Legnaro with the AGATA demonstrator, first phase of the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array of highly segmented, high-purity germanium detectors coupled to the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer. The excited states of the nuclei of interest were populated in the deep inelastic scattering of a Ge-76 beam impinging on a U-238 target. Results: The maximum of collectivity along the chain of Zn isotopes is observed for Zn-72 at N=42. An unexpectedly long lifetime of 20(-5.2)(+1.8) ps was measured for the 4(+) state in Zn-74. Conclusions: Our results lead to small values of the B(E2;4(1)(+) -> 21(+))/B(E2;2(1)(+->)0(1)(+)) ratio for Zn-72,Zn-74, suggesting a significant noncollective contribution to these excitations. These experimental results are not reproduced by state-of-the-art microscopic models and call for lifetime measurements beyond the first 2(+) state in heavy zinc and nickel isotopes. European Union Seventh Framework Program FP7/2007-2013 [DPN/N190/AGATA/2009]; Polish MNiSW [DPN/N190/AGATA/2009]; Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion [FPA2011-29854-C04]; BMBF [05P12RDFN8, 06DA9040I]; [262010 ENSAR]; Science and Technology Facilities Council [ST/F004052/1, ST/J000108/1] The authors are grateful to the ALPI accelerator team for quality of the beam delivered during the experiment. B. Lommel and J. Steiner from the GSI are acknowledged for their help in preparing the Uranium target and the opportunity to use the GSI target laboratory. The authors would like to thank F. Nowacki and K. Sieja for enlightening discussions and their suggestions to improve the manuscript. This work has been partly financed by the European Union Seventh Framework Program FP7/2007-2013 under Grant Agreement No. 262010 ENSAR, the Polish MNiSW under Grant No. DPN/N190/AGATA/2009, the Spanish Ministerio de Cienciae Innovacion under Contract No. FPA2011-29854-C04, and the BMBF under Grant Nos. 05P12RDFN8 and 06DA9040I.

Excited states in the neutron-deficient nucleus 87 Tc have been studied via the fusion-evaporation reaction 54 Fe( 36 Ar, 2n1p) 87 Tc at 115 MeV beam energy. The AGATA γ-ray spectrometer coupled to the DIAMANT, NEDA, and Neutron Wall detector arrays for light-particle detection was used to measure the prompt coincidence of γ rays and light particles. Six transitions from the de-excitation of excited states belonging to a new band in 87 Tc were identified by comparing γ-ray intensities in the spectra gated under different reaction channel selection conditions. The constructed level structure was compared with the shell model and total Routhian surface calculations. The results indicate that the new band structure in 87 Tc is built on a spherical configuration, which is different from that assigned to the previously identified oblate yrast rotational band QC 20210518

The low-lying excited states in the neutron-deficient N = Z + 1 nucleus 8743 Tc 44 have been studiedvia the fusion-evaporation reaction 54 Fe( 36 Ar, 2n1p) 87 Tc at the Grand Accélérateur National d’IonsLourds (GANIL), France. The AGATA spectrometer was used in conjunction with the auxiliaryNEDA, Neutron Wall, and DIAMANT detector arrays to measure coincident prompt γ-rays, neutrons, and charged particles emitted in the reaction. A level scheme of 87 Tc from the (9/2 +g.s. ) state to the (33/2 +)statewasestablishedbasedon6mutuallycoincidentγ-ray transitions. The con-1structed level structure exhibits a rotational behavior with a sharp back bending at ~ω ≈ 0.50 MeV. A decrease in alignment frequency and increase in alignment sharpness in the odd-mass isotonic chains around N = 44 is proposed as an effect of the enhanced isoscalar neutron-proton interactions in odd-mass nuclei when approaching the N = Z line. QC 20210607