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We report on mass measurements of three long-lived states in $^{114}$Rh performed with the JYFLTRAP Penning-trap mass spectrometer: the ground state and two isomers with estimated half-lives of about one second. The used Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique allowed for the discovery of a so far unknown second long-lived isomer. All three states were produced directly in proton-induced fission on a uranium target, whereas only the isomeric states were populated in the $\beta$ decay of the $^{114}$Ru ground state with spin-parity $0^+$. We propose spin-parity assignments of $(6^-)$ for the ground state, and $(3^+)$ and $(0^-)$ for the isomers. They resolve the puzzle of anomalous fission yields of this isotope despite the existing literature assigning a low angular momentum to the ground state. The experimental evidence is further supported by a detailed analysis based on mean-field calculations with the BSkG3 model. As for many other nuclei in this mass region, considering triaxial shapes is decisive for the interpretation of low-lying states of this nucleus. The discovery of a new isomer in $^{114}$Rh and our theoretical work challenge the currently adopted spin-parity assignments in this and several other odd-odd neutron-rich Rh isotopes., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures

The mass of $^{109}$Ag isotope was measured with respect to $^{110}$Cd with the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap at the IGISOL facility. By combining this new result with the known spectroscopic information, the $Q_\beta$ value of $405(135)$ eV between the $6^+$ isomer of $^{110}$Ag and the $5^+_2$ state in $^{110}$Cd was determined. This is the lowest $Q_\beta$ for any allowed transition observed to date. The nuclear shell-model results were performed with the {\sc kshell} code employing the \textit{jj45pnb} interaction, and combined with the state-of-the-art atomic calculations. The theoretical partial half-life, $2.23^{+5.24}_{-1.28} \times 10^7$ years, and the resulting branching ratio, $3.07^{+4.16}_{-2.15} \times 10^{-8}$, combined with a viable production method, thermal-neutron capture on stable $^{109}$Ag, make $^{110}$Ag$^{m}$ as a promising candidate for future antineutrino mass measurement experiments., Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 1 additional figure and 3 tables in Supplemental material

The masses of the ground and isomeric states in $^{124,125}$Ag have been measured using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique at the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. The ground states of $^{124}$Ag and $^{125}$Ag were found to be 30(250) keV and 250(430) keV less bound but 36 and 110 times more precise than in the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020, respectively. The excitation energy of $^{124}$Ag$^{m}$, ${E_x = 188.2(25)}$ keV, was determined for the first time. The new precise mass values have been utilised to study the evolution of nuclear structure via two-neutron separation energies. The impact on the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process has been investigated via neutron-capture reaction rate calculations. The precision measurements indicate a more linear trend in two-neutron separation energies and reduce the mass-related uncertainties for the neutron-capture rate of $^{124}$Ag$(n,\gamma)^{125}$Ag by a factor of around 100. The new mass values also improve the mass of $^{123}$Pd, previously measured using $^{124}$Ag as a reference., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

We report on high-precision atomic mass measurements of $^{148\text{-}153}$La and $^{151}$Ce performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique. The masses of $^{152,153}$La were experimentally determined for the first time. We confirm the sharp kink in the two-neutron separation energies at the neutron number ${N=93}$ in the cerium (${Z=58}$) isotopic chain. Our precision mass measurements of the most exotic neutron-rich lanthanum (${Z=57}$) isotopes reveal a sudden increase in two-neutron separation energies from ${N=92}$ to ${N=93}$. Unlike in the cerium isotopic chain, the kink is not sharp but extends to ${N=94}$ forming a prominent bump. The gain in energy is about 0.4 MeV, making it one of the strongest changes in two-neutron separation energies over the whole chart of nuclides, away from nuclear shell closures. The results call for further studies to elucidate the structure of neutron-rich lanthanum isotopes., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

Polonium isotopes having two protons above the shell closure at $Z=82$ show a wide variety of low-lying high-spin isomeric states across the whole chain. The structure of neutron-deficient isotopes up to $^{210}$Po ($N=126$) is well established as they are easily produced through various methods. However, there is not much information available for the neutron-rich counterparts for which only selective techniques can be used for their production. We report on the first fast-timing measurements of yrast states up to the 8$^+$ level in $^{214,216,218}$Po isotopes produced in the $\beta^-$ decay of $^{214,216,218}$Bi at ISOLDE, CERN. In particular, our new half-life value of 607(14) ps for the 8$_1^+$ state in $^{214}$Po is nearly 20 times shorter than the one available in literature and comparable with the newly measured half-lives of 409(16) and 628(25) ps for the corresponding 8$_1^+$ states in $^{216,218}$Po, respectively. The measured $B(E2;8_1^+ \to 6_1^+)$ transition probability values follow an increasing trend relative to isotope mass, reaching a maximum for $^{216}$Po. The increase contradicts the previous claims of isomerism for the $8^+$ yrast states in neutron-rich $^{214}$Po and beyond. Together with the other measured yrast transitions, the $B(E2)$ values provide a crucial test of the different theoretical approaches describing the underlying configurations of the yrast band. The new experimental results are compared to shell-model calculations using the KHPE and H208 effective interactions and their pairing modified versions, showing an increase in configuration mixing when moving towards the heavier isotopes., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures (main manuscript), 2 pages (supplemental material)

We have performed high-precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rare-earth Tb, Dy and Ho isotopes using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique at the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap. We report on the first experimentally determined mass values for $^{169}$Tb, $^{170}$Dy and $^{171}$Dy, as well as the first high-precision mass measurements of $^{169}$Dy and $^{169\text{-}171}$Ho. For $^{170}$Ho, the two long-lived ground and isomeric states were resolved and their mass measured, yielding an isomer excitation energy of $E_\text{exc}=150.8(54)$~keV. In addition, we have performed independent crosschecks of previous Penning-trap values obtained for $^{167\text{,} 168}$Tb and $^{167\text{,} 168}$Dy. We have extended the systematics of two-neutron separation energies to the neutron midshell at $N=104$ in all of the studied isotopic chains. Our updated and new mass measurements provide better mass-related constraints for the neutron-capture reaction rates relevant to the astrophysical rapid neutron capture (r) process. The r-process abundances calculated with the new mass values seem to produce a steeper minimum at A=170 and differ by around 15-30\% from the abundances computed with the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 values., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures

A new isomeric $(4^-)$ state at 285.5(32) keV in $^{162}$Tb was reported by R. Orford et al. [Phys. Rev. C 102, 011303(R) (2020)] based on a Penning-trap mass measurement. Here we show that this result is not compatible with existing experimental data. The state identified as $^{162}$Tb$^{m}$ with a mass-excess value of $-65593.9(25)$ keV is actually the $1^-$ ground state. The state identified as the ground state of $^{162}$Tb is most likely a molecular contaminant with the same mass-over-charge ratio., Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure; comment on https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.102.011303

The masses of $^{84}$Br, $^{105}$Mo, $^{115,119,121}$Pd, $^{122}$Ag, $^{127,129}$In, $^{132}$Sb and their respective isomeric states have been measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The excitation energies of the isomeric states in $^{132}$Sb and $^{119}$Pd were experimentally determined for the first time, while for $^{84}$Br, $^{115}$Pd and $^{127,129}$In, the precision of the mass values was substantially improved. In $^{105}$Mo and $^{121}$Pd there were no signs of a long-lived isomeric state. The ground-state measurements of $^{119}$Pd and $^{122}$Ag indicated that both are significantly more bound than the literature values. For $^{122}$Ag, there was no indication of a proposed third long-lived state. The results for the $N=49$ nucleus $^{84}$Br and isomers close to doubly magic $^{132}$Sn have been compared to the shell-model and the microscopic quasiparticle-phonon model calculations., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures

Precision mass measurements of $^{104}$Y, $^{106}$Zr, $^{104,104m,109}$Nb, and $^{111,112}$Mo have been performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility. The order of the long-lived states in $^{104}$Nb was unambiguously established. The trend in two-neutron separation energies around the $N=66$ neutron midshell appeared to be steeper with respect to the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 extrapolations for the $_{39}$Y and $_{40}$Zr isotopic chains and less steep for the $_{41}$Nb chain, indicating a possible gap opening around $Z=40$. The experimental results were compared to the BSkG2 model calculations performed with and without vibrational and rotational corrections. All of them predict two low-lying minima for $^{106}$Zr. While the unaltered BSkG2 model fails to predict the trend in two-neutron separation energies, selecting the more deformed minima in calculations and removing the vibrational correction, the calculations are more in line with experimental data. The same is also true for the $2^+_1$ excitation energies and differences in charge radii in the Zr isotopes. The results stress the importance of improved treatment of collective corrections in large-scale models and further development of beyond-mean-field techniques., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures

We report on new precision mass measurements of neutron-rich $^{137}$Sb and $^{136-142}$I isotopes from the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. We confirm the value from the previous Penning-trap measurement of $^{137}$Sb at the Canadian Penning Trap and therefore rule out the conflicting result from the Experimental Storage Ring. The ground state and isomer in $^{136}$I were resolved and measured directly for the first time. The isomer excitation energy, $E_x = 215.1(43)$ keV, agrees with the literature but is three times more precise. The measurements have improved the precision of the mass values and confirmed previous results in the majority of cases. However, for $^{138,140}$I the results differ by 17(6) keV and 23(12) keV, respectively. This could be explained by an unresolved contamination or different ratio of unresolved isomeric states in the case of $^{140}$I., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

The multinucleon transfer (MNT) reaction approach was successfully employed for the first time to measure the isomeric ratios (IRs) of $^{211}$Po (25/2$^+$) isomer and its (9/2$^+$) ground state at the IGISOL facility using a 945 MeV $^{136}$Xe beam impinged on $^{209}$Bi and $^{\rm nat}$Pb targets. The dominant production of isomers compared to the corresponding ground states was consistently revealed in the $\alpha$-decay spectra. Deduced IR of $^{211}$Po populated through the $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb reaction was found to enhance $\approx$1.8-times than observed for $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi. State-of-the-art Langevin-type model calculations have been utilized to estimate the spin distribution of an MNT residue. The computations qualitatively corroborate with the considerable increase in IRs of $^{211}$Po produced from $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb compared to $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi. Theoretical investigations indicate a weak influence of target spin on IRs. The enhancement of the $^{211}$Po isomer in the $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb over $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi can be attributed to the different proton ($p$)-transfer production routes. Estimations demonstrate an increment in the angular momentum transfer, favorable for isomer production, with increasing projectile energy. Comparative analysis indicates the two entrance channel parameters, projectile mass and $p$-transfer channels, strongly influencing the population of the high-spin isomer of $^{211}$Po (25/2$^+$). This is the first experimental and theoretical investigation on the IRs of nuclei produced via different channels of MNT reactions, with the latter quantitatively underestimating the former by a factor of two., Comment: 5 figures

We report on the precise mass measurements of the $^{91}$Sr and $^{95}$Y isotopes performed using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. The mass-excess values from this work, ${\mathrm{ME}(^{91}\mathrm{Sr}) = -83645.5(13)}$ keV and ${\mathrm{ME}(^{95}\mathrm{Y}) = -81226.4(10)}$ keV, deviate by 6.5(52) keV and $-18(7)$ keV from the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 (AME20). In the case of $^{91}$Sr the new result disagrees with the ISOLTRAP value, while for $^{95}$Y, it agrees with the older JYFLTRAP value., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

Isomers close to doubly-magic $^{78}_{28}$Ni$_{50}$ provide essential information on the shell evolution and shape coexistence near the ${Z=28}$ and ${N=50}$ double shell closure. We report the excitation energy measurement of the $1/2^{+}$ isomer in $^{79}_{30}$Zn$_{49}$ through independent high-precision mass measurements with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap and with the ISOLTRAP Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer. We unambiguously place the $1/2^{+}$ isomer at 942(10) keV, slightly below the $5/2^+$ state at 983(3) keV. With the use of state-of-the-art shell-model diagonalizations, complemented with Discrete Non Orthogonal shell-model calculations which are used here the first time to interpret shape coexistence, we find low-lying deformed intruder states, similar to other ${N=49}$ isotones. The $1/2^{+}$ isomer is interpreted as the band-head of a low-lying deformed structure akin to a predicted low-lying deformed band in $^{80}$Zn, and points to shape coexistence in $^{79,80}$Zn similar to the one observed in $^{78}$Ni. The results make a strong case for confirming the claim of shape coexistence in this key region of the nuclear chart., Comment: 10 pages, three figures, two tables. Accepted to Phys. Rev. Lett

Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the isomer of the aluminium isotope $^{26m}$Al. The measured isotope shift to $^{27}$Al in the $3s^{2}3p\;^{2}\!P^\circ_{3/2} \rightarrow 3s^{2}4s\;^{2}\!S_{1/2}$ atomic transition enabled the first experimental determination of the nuclear charge radius of $^{26m}$Al, resulting in $R_c$=\qty{3.130\pm.015}{\femto\meter}. This differs by 4.5 standard deviations from the extrapolated value used to calculate the isospin-symmetry breaking corrections in the superallowed $\beta$ decay of $^{26m}$Al. Its corrected $\mathcal{F}t$ value, important for the estimation of $V_{ud}$ in the CKM matrix, is thus shifted by one standard deviation to \qty{3071.4\pm1.0}{\second}., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett

We report on the first direct mass measurements of the $^{118,119}$Cd and $^{117-119}$In isotopes performed at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. The masses of $^{117}$In and $^{118}$Cd isotopes are in agreement with the literature, while $^{118,119}$In and $^{119}$Cd differ from literature by 49, 13 and 85 keV (6.1, 1.9 and 2.1 standard deviations), respectively. The excitation energy of the $^{118}$In first isomeric state, $E_x = 40.3(25)$ keV, was determined for the first time. The updated mass values removed the fluctuations observed in the two-neutron separation energies and lead to a smoother linear decrease of both isotopic chains. The $\log(ft)$ value for the $^{118}$Cd decay is also found to increase from 3.93(6) to 4.089(8). The reported results indicate an absence of significant structural changes around $N=70$., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures

We report on the precise mass measurement of the $^{173}$Hf isotope performed at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility using the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. The new mass-excess value, ${\mathrm{ME} = -55390.8(30)}$ keV, is in agreement with the literature while being nine times more precise. The newly determined $^{173}$Hf electron-capture $Q$ value, $Q_{EC} = 1490.2(34)$ keV, allows us to firmly reject the population of an excited state at 1578 keV in $^{173}$Lu and 11 transitions tentatively assigned to the decay of $^{173}$Hf. Our refined mass value of $^{173}$Hf reduces mass-related uncertainties in the reaction rate of $^{174}$Hf$(\gamma,n)^{173}$Hf. Thus, the rate for the main photodisintegration destruction channel of the $p$ nuclide $^{174}$Hf in the relevant temperature region for the $\gamma$ process is better constrained., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures

Neutron-rich $^{120-124}$In isotopes have been studied utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP at the IGISOL facility. Using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique, the isomeric states were resolved from ground states and their excitation energies measured with high precision in $^{121,123,124}$In. In $^{120,122}$In, the $1^+$ states were separated and their masses were measured while the energy difference between the unresolved $5^+$ and $8^-$ states, whose presence was confirmed by post-trap decay spectroscopy was determined to be $\leq15$ keV. In addition, the half-life of $^{122}$Cd, $T_{1/2} = 5.98(10)$ s, was extracted. Experimental results were compared with energy density functionals, density functional theory and shell-model calculations., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures

The $\beta^-$ decay $Q$-value of $^{136}$Cs ($J^\pi = 5^+$, $t_{1/2} \approx 13$~days) was measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap setup at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility of the University of Jyv\"askyl\"a, Finland. The mono-isotopic samples required in the measurements were prepared with a new scheme utilised for the cleaning, based on the coupling of dipolar excitation with Ramsey's method of time-separated oscillatory fields and the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. The $Q$ value is determined to be 2536.83(45) keV, which is $\sim$4 times more precise and 11.4(20) keV ($\sim$ 6$\sigma$) smaller than the adopted value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation AME2020. The daughter, $^{136}$Ba, has a 4$^+$ state at 2544.481(24) keV and a $3^-$ state at 2532.653(23) keV, both of which can potentially be ultralow $Q$-value end-states for the $^{136}$Cs decay. With our new ground-to-ground state $Q$ value, the decay energies to these two states become -7.65(45) keV and 4.18(45) keV, respectively. The former is confirmed to be negative at the level of $\sim$ 17$\sigma$, which verifies that this transition is not a suitable candidate for neutrino mass determination. On the other hand, the slightly negative $Q$ value makes this transition an interesting candidate for the study of virtual $\beta$-$\gamma$ transitions. The decay to the 3$^{-}$ state is validated to have a positive low $Q$ value which makes it a viable candidate for neutrino mass determination. For this transition, we obtained a shell-model-based half-life estimate of $2.1_{-0.8}^{+1.6}\times10^{12}$ yr., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures

We report on precision mass measurements of $^{113,115,117}$Ru performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Accelerator Laboratory of University of Jyv\"askyl\"a. The phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique was used to resolve the ground and isomeric states in $^{113,115}$Ru and enabled for the first time a measurement of the isomer excitation energies, $E_x(^{113}$Ru$^{m})=100.5(8)$ keV and $E_x(^{115}$Ru$^{m})=129(5)$ keV. The ground state of $^{117}$Ru was measured using the time-of-flight ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The new mass-excess value for $^{117}$Ru is around 36 keV lower and 7 times more precise than the previous literature value. With the more precise ground-state mass values, the evolution of the two-neutron separation energies is further constrained and a similar trend as predicted by the BSkG1 model is obtained up to the neutron number $N=71$., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Physical Review C

Background: The mercury isotopes around $N=104$ are a well-known example of nuclei exhibiting shape coexistence. Mixing of configurations can be studied by measuring the monopole strength $\rho^2(E0)$, however, currently the experimental information is scarce and lacks precision, especially for the $I^\pi \rightarrow I^\pi$ ($I \neq 0$) transitions. Purpose: The goals of this study were to increase the precision of the known branching ratios and internal conversion coefficients, to increase the amount of available information regarding excited states in $^{182,184,186}$Hg and to interpret the results in the framework of shape coexistence using different models. Method: The low-energy structures in $^{182,184,186}$Hg were populated in the $\beta$ decay of $^{182,184,186}$Tl, produced at ISOLDE and purified by laser ionization and mass separation. The $\gamma$-ray and internal conversion electron events were detected by five germanium clover detectors and a segmented silicon detector, respectively, and correlated in time to build decay schemes. Results: In total, 193, 178 and 156 transitions, including 144, 140 and 108 observed for the first time in a $\beta$-decay experiment, were assigned to $^{182,184,186}$Hg, respectively. Internal conversion coefficients were determined for 23 transitions, out of which 12 had an $E0$ component. Extracted branching ratios allowed the sign of the interference term in $^{182}$Hg as well as $\rho^2(E0;0^+_2\rightarrow 0^+_1)$ and $B(E2;0^+_2\rightarrow 2^+_1)$ in $^{184}$Hg to be determined. By means of electron-electron coincidences, the $0^+_3$ state was identified in $^{184}$Hg. The experimental results were qualitatively reproduced by five theoretical approaches, the IBM with configuration mixing with two different parametrizations, the General Bohr Hamiltonian, the BMF model and the SCCM model. However, a quantitative description is lacking., Comment: 21 pages, 30 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review C

Precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rhodium isotopes have been performed at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. We report results on ground- and isomeric-state masses in $^{110,112,114,116,118}$Rh and the very first mass measurement of $^{120}$Rh. The isomeric states were separated and measured for the first time using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. For $^{112}$Rh, we also report new half-lives for both the ground state and the isomer. The results are compared to theoretical predictions using the BSkG1 mass model and discussed in terms of triaxial deformation., Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. C, revised version

$^{180m}$Ta is a naturally abundant quasi-stable nuclide and the longest-lived nuclear isomer known to date. It is of interest for, among others, the search for dark matter, for the development of a gamma laser and for astrophysics. So far, its excitation energy has not been measured directly but has been based on an evaluation of available nuclear reaction data. We have determined the excitation energy of this isomer with high accuracy using the Penning-trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. The determined mass difference between the ground and isomeric states of $^{180}$Ta yields an excitation energy of 76.79(55) keV for $^{180m}$Ta. This is the first direct measurement of the excitation energy and provides a better accuracy than the previous evaluation value, 75.3(14) keV., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

The structure of the doubly magic $^{132}_{50}$Sn$_{82}$ has been investigated at the ISOLDE facility at CERN, populated both by the $\beta^-$decay of $^{132}$In and $\beta^-$-delayed neutron emission of $^{133}$In. The level scheme of $^{132}$Sn is greatly expanded with the addition of 68 $\gamma$-transitions and 17 levels observed for the first time in the $\beta$ decay. The information on the excited structure is completed by new $\gamma$-transitions and states populated in the $\beta$-n decay of $^{133}$In. Improved delayed neutron emission probabilities are obtained both for $^{132}$In and $^{133}$In. Level lifetimes are measured via the Advanced Time-Delayed $\beta\gamma\gamma$(t) fast-timing method. An interpretation of the level structure is given based on the experimental findings and the particle-hole configurations arising from core excitations both from the \textit{N} = 82 and \textit{Z} = 50 shells, leading to positive and negative parity particle-hole multiplets. The experimental information provides new data to challenge the theoretical description of $^{132}$Sn., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

Decay spectroscopy of the long-lived states in $^{186}$Tl has been performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station at ISOLDE, CERN. The $\alpha$ decay from the low-spin $(2^-)$ state in $^{186}$Tl was observed for the first time and a half-life of $3.4^{+0.5}_{-0.4}$ s was determined. Based on the $\alpha$-decay energy, the relative positions of the long-lived states were fixed, with the $(2^-)$ state as the ground state, the $7^{(+)}$ state at 77(56)~keV and the $10^{(-)}$ state at 451(56) keV. The level scheme of the internal decay of the $^{186}$Tl($10^{(-)}$) state ($T_{1/2} = 3.40(9)$ s), which was known to decay solely through emission of 374 keV $\gamma$-ray transition, was extended and a lower-limit for the $\beta$-decay branching $b_\beta > 5.9(3)\%$ was determined. The extracted retardation factors for the $\gamma$ decay of the $10^{(-)}$ state were compared to the available data in neighboring odd-odd thallium isotopes indicating the importance of the $\pi d_{3/2}$ shell in the isomeric decay and significant structure differences between $^{184}$Tl and $^{186}$Tl., Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures

There is a large body of evidence that atomic nuclei can undergo octupole distortion and assume the shape of a pear. This phenomenon is important for measurements of electric-dipole moments of atoms, which would indicate CP violation and hence probe physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. Isotopes of both radon and radium have been identified as candidates for such measurements. Here, we have observed the low-lying quantum states in $^{224}$Rn and $^{226}$Rn by accelerating beams of these radioactive nuclei. We report here additional states not assigned in our 2019 publication. We show that radon isotopes undergo octupole vibrations but do not possess static pear-shapes in their ground states. We conclude that radon atoms provide less favourable conditions for the enhancement of a measurable atomic electric-dipole moment., Comment: Updated from Nat. Comm. 10 (2019) 2473

There is sparse direct experimental evidence that atomic nuclei can exhibit stable pear shapes arising from strong octupole correlations. In order to investigate the nature of octupole collectivity in radium isotopes, electric octupole ($E3$) matrix elements have been determined for transitions in $^{222,228}$Ra nuclei using the method of sub-barrier, multi-step Coulomb excitation. Beams of the radioactive radium isotopes were provided by the HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The observed pattern of $E$3 matrix elements for different nuclear transitions is explained by describing $^{222}$Ra as pear-shaped with stable octupole deformation, while $^{228}$Ra behaves like an octupole vibrator., Comment: to be published in Physical Review Letters

Background: Shell evolution can impact the structure of the nuclei and lead to effects such as shape coexistence. The nuclei around $^{68}$Ni represent an excellent study case, however, spectroscopic information of the neutron-rich, $Z<28$ nuclei is limited. Purpose: The goal is to measure $\gamma$-ray transitions in $^{66}$Fe, $^{66}$Co and $^{66}$Ni populated in the $\beta^-$ decay of $^{66}$Mn, to determine absolute $\beta$-feedings and relative $\gamma$-decay probabilities and to compare the results with Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations in order to study the influence of the relevant single neutron and proton orbitals occupancies around $Z=28$ and $N=40$. Method: The low-energy structures of $^{65,66}$Fe, $^{66}$Co and $^{66}$Ni were studied in the $\beta^-$ decay of $^{66}$Mn produced at ISOLDE, CERN. The beam was purified by means of laser resonance ionization and mass separation. The $\beta$ and $\gamma$ events detected by three plastic scintillators and two MiniBall cluster germanium detectors, respectively, were correlated in time to build the low-energy excitation schemes and to determine the $\beta$-decay half-lives of the nuclei. Results: The relative small $\beta$-decay ground state feeding of $^{66}$Fe obtained in this work is at variant to the earlier studies. Spin and parity $1^+$ was assigned to the $^{66}$Co ground state based on the strong ground state feeding in the decay of $^{66}$Fe as well as in the decay of $^{66}$Co. Experimental log(ft) values, $\gamma$-ray deexcitation patterns and energies of excited states were compared to Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations. Based on this comparison, spin and parity assignments for the selected number of low-lying states in the $^{66}$Mn to $^{66}$Ni chain were proposed. Conclusions: The $\beta$-decay chain starting $^{66}$Mn towards $^{66}$Ni, crossing $N=40$, evolves from deformed nuclei to sphericity..., Comment: accepted for publication in PRC