The mutable nature of particle-core excitations with spin in the one-valence-proton nucleus ¹³³Sb

The γ-ray decay of excited states of the one-valence-proton nucleus ¹³³Sb has been studied using cold-neutron induced fission of ²³⁵U and ²⁴¹Pu targets, during the EXILL campaign at the ILL reactor in Grenoble. By using a highly efficient HPGe array, coincidences between γ-rays prompt with the fission event and those delayed up to several tens of microseconds were investigated, allowing to observe, for the first time, high-spin excited states above the 16.6 μs isomer. Lifetimes analysis, performed by fast-timing techniques with LaBr₃(Ce) scintillators, revealed a difference of almost two orders of magnitude in B(M1) strength for transitions between positive-parity medium-spin yrast states. The data are interpreted by a newly developed microscopic model which takes into account couplings between core excitations (both collective and non-collective) of the doubly magic nucleus ¹³²Sn and the valence proton, using the Skyrme effective interaction in a consistent way. The results point to a fast change in the nature of particle-core excitations with increasing spin

Selective Isotope CT Imaging Based on Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence Transmission Method

The isotope selectivity of computed tomography (CT) imaging based on nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) transmission method using a quasi-monochromatic laser Compton scattering (LCS) gamma-ray beam in the MeV region was demonstrated at the Ultra Violet Synchrotron Orbital Radiation–III (UVSOR-III) Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Institute of Molecular Science, National Institute of Natural Science) for two enriched lead isotope rods ( 206 Pb and 208 Pb) implanted in an aluminum cylinder. Since these two rods show the same gamma-ray attenuation in atomic processes, it is impossible to differentiate between them using a standard Gamma-CT technique based on atomic attenuation of gamma rays. The LCS gamma-ray beam had a maximum energy of 5.528 MeV and an intensity of approximately 5.5 photons/s/eV at the resonance energy ( Jπ=1− at 5.512 MeV in 208 Pb). A lead collimator with a hole diameter of 1 mm was used to define the size of the LCS gamma-ray beam at the CT target. The CT image of the 208 Pb rod was selectively obtained with a 2-mm pixel size resolution, which was determined by the horizontal step size of the CT stage

Application of the Recursive Subtraction Pulse Shape Analysis algorithm to in-beam HPGe signals

The Pulse Shape Analysis algorithm "Recursive Subtraction" has been applied to data acquired during the in-beam tests of two different highly segmented HPGe detectors. This algorithm processes the net charge signal, determining the number of interactions per segment and their radial coordinates. The RS algorithm performances are evaluated by comparing the results obtained following its application to experimental pulse shapes with those obtained with specific GEANT simulations. Excellent agreement is found between the experimental distribution of the number of interactions per segment and the simulated one. Deviations between experimental radial distribution and the calculated ones are discussed

Study of the cross section determination with the PRISMA spectrometer: The 40Ar + 208Pb case

The PRISMA spectrometer’s response function was successfully applied to match three angular and magnetic settings over a wide angular range for measurements of quasi-elastic reactions in 40Ar+208Pb. The absolute scale of cross sections has been obtained by using the Rutherford cross section at the forward angles and the information from the energy distributions measured with the spectrometer without and with gamma-coincidences with the CLARA gamma-array. The semi-classical model GRAZING has been used to test the unfolding procedure and for comparison with the corrected cross sections