Excitation strengths in 109Sn: Single-neutron and collective excitations near 100Sn

A set of B(E2) values for the low-lying excited states in the radioactive isotope 109Sn were deduced from a Coulomb excitation experiment. The 2.87-MeV/u radioactive beam was produced at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN and was incident on a secondary 58Ni target. The B(E2) values were determined using the known 2+ → 0+ reduced transition probability in 58Ni as normalization with the semi-classical Coulomb excitation code GOSIA2. The transition probabilities are compared to shell-model calculations based on a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction and the predictions of a simple core-excitation model. This measurement represents the first determination of multiple B(E2) values in a light Sn nucleus using the Coulomb excitation technique with low-energy radioactive beams. The results provide constraints for the single-neutron states relative to 100Sn and also indicate the importance of both single-neutron and collective excitations in the light Sn isotopes.status: publishe

Coulomb excitation of 107Sn

The radioactive isotope 107Sn was studied using Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. This is the lightest odd-Sn nucleus examined using this technique. The reduced transition probability of the lowest-lying 3/2+ state was measured and is compared to shell-model predictions based on several sets of single-neutron energies relative to 100Sn. Similar to the transition probabilities for the 2+ states in the neutron-deficient even-even Sn nuclei, the measured value is underestimated by shell-model calculations. Part of the strength may be recovered by considering the ordering of the d5/2 and g7/2 single-neutron states.status: publishe

Electric quadrupole moments of the 2+_1 states in 100,102,104Cd

Using the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN the Coulomb excitation cross sections for the 0+_gs → 2+_1 transition in the beta-unstable isotopes 100,102,104Cd have been measured for the first time. Two different targets were used, which allows for the first extraction of the static electric quadrupole moments Q(2+_1) in 102,104Cd. In addition to the B(E2) values in 102,104Cd, a first experimental limit for the B(E2) value in 100Cd is presented. The data was analyzed using the maximum likelihood method. The provided probability distributions impose a test for theoretical predictions of the static and dynamic moments. The data are interpreted within the shell-model using realistic matrix elements obtained from a G-matrix renormalized CD-Bonn interaction. In view of recent results for the light Sn isotopes the data are discussed in the context of a renormalization of the neutron effective charge. This study is the first to use the reorientation effect for post-accelerated short-lived radioactive isotopes to simultaneously determine the B(E2) and the Q(2+_1) values.status: publishe

Coulomb excitation of 107In

The radioactive isotope 107In was studied using sub-barrier Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Two γ rays were observed during the experiment, corresponding to the low-lying 11/2+ and 3/2− states. The reduced transition probability of the 11/2+ state was determined with the semiclassical Coulomb excitation code GOSIA2. The result is discussed in comparison to large-scale shell-model calculations, previous unified-model calculations, and earlier Coulomb excitation measurements in the odd-mass In isotopes.status: publishe

Coulomb excitation of 29,30Na: Mapping the borders of the island of inversion

Nuclear shell evolution in neutron-rich Na nuclei around N = 20 was studied by determining reduced transition probabilities, i.e., B(E2) and B(M1) values, in order to map the border of the island of inversion. To this end Coulomb-excitation experiments, employing radioactive 29,30Na beams with a final beam energy of 2.85 MeV/nucleon, were performed at REX-ISOLDE, CERN. De-excitation γ rays were detected by the MINIBALL γ -ray spectrometer in coincidence with scattered particles in a segmented Si detector. Transition probabilities to excited states were deduced. The measured B(E2) values agree well with shell-model predictions, supporting the idea that in the Na isotopic chain the ground-state wave function contains significant intruder admixture already at N = 18, with N = 19 having an almost pure two-particle–two-hole deformed ground-state configuration.status: publishe

Analysis and results of the ¹⁰⁴Sn Coulomb excitation experiment

The analysis of the Coulomb excitation experiment conducted on 104Sn required a strict selection of the data in order to reduce the large background present in the γ-ray energy spectra and identify the γ-ray peak corresponding to the Coulomb excitation events. As a result the B(E2; 0+→ 2+) value could be extracted, which established the downward trend towards 100Sn and therefore the robustness of the N=Z=50 core against quadrupole excitations