Lifetime measurements of short-lived excited states, and shape changes in As 69 and Ge 66 nuclei

Background: The nuclear shape is a macroscopic feature of an atomic nucleus that is sensitive to the underlying nuclear structure in terms of collectivity and the interaction between nucleons. Therefore, the evolution of nuclear shapes has attracted many theoretical and experimental nuclear structure studies. The structure of the A≈70, N≈Z nuclei, lying far from the stability line, is interesting because a particularly strong proton-neutron correlation may occur here due to the occupation of the same orbits by nucleons of both types. In this region, different particle configurations drive a nucleus towards various deformed shapes: prolate, oblate, octupole, or nonaxial. These nuclear shapes change rapidly with nucleon number and also with angular momentum. This is reflected by a presence of different structures (bands) of excited states which exhibit a broad range of lifetimes. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to determine lifetimes of some high-spin excited states in As69 and Ge66 nuclei to examine the shape evolution in these neutron-deficient nuclei. Methods: Lifetimes of high-spin states in As69 and Ge66 have been measured by using the Doppler-shift attenuation technique with the GASP and recoil filter detector setup at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro. The nuclei of interest were produced in the S32(95MeV)+0.8mg/cm2 Ca40 fusion-evaporation reaction. The strongest reaction channels 3p and α2p led to the As69 and Ge66 final nuclei, respectively. Using γ-γ-recoil coincidences we were able to determine very short lifetimes (in the femtosecond range) in the residual nuclei of interest. Results: In As69, the extracted lifetimes are τ=72 (-32, +45) fs for the 33/2+ state at 7897 keV and τ<85 fs for the 37/2+ state at 9820 keV. For the Ge66 case, the lifetime of the 11- state at 7130 keV is τ=122(±41) fs. Lifetimes in As69 and Ge66 reported in this paper have been measured for the first time in the present experiment. Conclusions: The results are discussed in the terms of deformation and shape evolution in As69 and Ge66. The quadrupole moments deduced from the measured lifetimes were compared with the cranked Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky calculations by means of the total Routhian surface method. It turns out that Band 3 in As69 shows an oblate-prolate shape transition, and above spin 33/2+ it corresponds to a prolate collective structure with β2≈0.27 and γ≈20. In turn, in Ge66 the negative-parity band built on the 7- state at 4205 keV corresponds to a triaxial shape with β2=0.33 and γ=31. Analysis of the transitional quadrupole moments derived from the experimental and theoretical ones points to a significant change of deformation in the As69 and Ge66 nuclei with increasing rotational frequency

Studies of efficiency of the Kratta detectors in the deuteron breakup experiment.

International audienceAn experiment focused on studies of relativistic effects in the proton-deuteron breakup reaction has been performed at Cyclotron Center Bronowice in Kraków, Poland with the use of the Kratta detectors. Thirty Kratta modules have been arranged in a planar symmetric around beam axis configuration at few selected polar angles at which significant relativistic effects have been predicted. In front of each Kratta module 4 thin plastic scintillators were installed acting as a fast timing detectors to improve a trigger system. Determination of acceptance and efficiency of the detectors is discussed

In-beam \mth{\gamma}-ray spectroscopy of \chem{^{42}Ca}

High-spin states of the $^{42}$Ca nucleus, populated in the 68 MeV $^{18}$O + $^{30}$Si reaction, have been studied in a $\gamma$-$\gamma$-recoil coincidence experiment. The level scheme of $^{42}$Ca has been extended up to 13.7  MeV. An elaborate decay pattern with various paths, together with high-quality DCO and polarization information assigns spins and parities for almost all observed levels. The sequence of non-yrast positive-parity states is discussed and compared with highly deformed bands in $^{36}$Ar and $^{40}$Ca

Measurement of the γ\gamma Decay from the Energy Region of the Pygmy Dipole States Excited in the 208^{208}Pb(p,p′γ)(p,p'\gamma ) Reaction at CCB

International audienceFor a few years, the medical cyclotron Proteus C-235 at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice in Kraków, Poland has been regularly used for nuclear structure experiments. One of the ongoing studies is focused on the γ decay of collective states populated in (p, p0γ) reactions. In a recent experiment, γ decays of excited states in the energy region of the Pygmy Dipole States in 208Pb have been observed. Good efficiency and energy resolution provided by the PARIS clusters and LaBr3:Ce scintillators facilitate a comparison of the obtained energy spectra with previous measurements of pygmy states in this nucleus

Experimental Verification of Key Cross Sections for Prompt-gamma Imaging in Proton Therapy

We present experimental investigation of cross sections for processes crucial in view of prompt-gamma imaging. The prompt-gamma rays were produced from an interaction of a proton beam with different phantom materials composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. The used target setup allowed precise selection of the investigated depth in the phantom. We studied details of the dependence of prompt-gamma yields on beam energy, detection angle and elemental composition of irradiated phantom. The analysis was focused on the discrete transitions with the largest cross sections: 4.44 MeV in 12C and 6.13 MeV in 16O. The results are presented in form of profiles of the prompt-gamma yield as a function of depth. They are compared to calculations including different cross-section models. Obtained results are in agreement with the model exploiting cross-section data collected from the literature, but the comparison with the TALYS model shows discrepancies. In the latest experiment, special attention was paid to the shape of the distal fall-off. The width of that fall-off is directly linked to the resolution of prompt-gamma based methods of range verification. Preliminary results on the beam-energy dependence of this quantity are presented

Feeding of the Residual States with GDR gamma Decay Studied by nuBall Coupled with PARIS

International audienceIn the paper, experimental results of high-energy gamma GDR (Giant Dipole Resonance) decay from the 192Pt compound nucleus associated with the 4n decay channel leading to the 188Pt evaporation residue are presented. The measurement, which was performed with the use of coupled nuBall and PARIS arrays, aimed to investigate the link between deformation of a hot nucleus and different deformations of the residual states. The high-energy gamma rays from the GDR decay measured using the PARIS phoswiches provided information on compound nucleus properties, particularly on its effective shape. Discrete transitions in evaporation residues, measured by the nuBall array, were used to select the final products of specific deformations. As a result, the GDR strength functions measured for the particular decay paths were obtained

Decay of the “Stretched” M4 Resonance in 13^{13}C

International audience“Stretched” states are examples of the simplest nuclear excitations in the continuum, thus offering an excellent testing ground for various theoretical approaches. The decay of the stretched single-particle state in 13C, located at 21.47 MeV, was investigated in an experiment performed recently at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) at IFJ PAN in Kraków. First experimental information on the proton and neutron decay channels of this resonance was obtained by employing coincidence measurement of protons inelastically scattered on the 13C target and γ rays from daughter nuclei. The new experimental findings will be used for testing predictions obtained by the Gamow Shell Model calculations