Laser Spectroscopy of Niobium Fission Fragments: First Use of Optical Pumping in an Ion Beam Cooler Buncher

A new method of optical pumping in an ion beam cooler buncher has been developed to selectively enhance ionic metastable state populations. The technique permits the study of elements previously inaccessible to laser spectroscopy and has been applied here to the study of Nb. Model independent mean-square charge radii and nuclear moments have been studied for $^{90,90 m,91,91 m,92,93,99,101,103}$Nb to cover the region of the N=50 shell closure and N≈60 sudden onset of deformation. The increase in mean-square charge radius is observed to be less than that for Y, with a substantial degree of β softness observed before and after N=60

Recent results in nuclear astrophysics at the n_TOF facility at CERN

The neutron time of flight (n_TOF) facility at CERN is a spallation source characterized by a white neutron spectrum. The innovative features of the facility, in the two experimental areas, (20 m and 185 m), allow for an accurate determination of the neutron cross section for radioactive samples or for isotopes with small neutron capture cross section, of interest for Nuclear Astrophysics. The recent results obtained at n_TOF facility are presented

Projected shell model study for the yrast-band structure of the proton-rich mass-80 nuclei

A systematic study of the yrast-band structure for the proton-rich, even-even mass-80 nuclei is carried out using projected shell model approach. We describe the the energy spectra, transition quadrupole moments and gyromagnetic factors. The observed variations in energy spectra and transition quadrupole moments in this mass region are discussed in terms of the configuration mixing of the projected deformed Nilsson states as a function of shell filling.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

Quadrupole moments and mean-square charge radii in the bismuth isotope chain

Isotope shifts and hyperfine structures of the $^{205, 206, 208, 210, 210m, 212, 213}$Bi isotopes have been studied on the 306.7nm line using gas cell laser spectroscopy. The neutron-rich isotopes are the first isotones of Pb to be measured immediately above the N=126 shell closure. The ground state quadrupole moments of the even--N isotopes increase as neutrons are added or removed from the N=126 shell, but no corresponding increase is observed in the charge radii