Nature of yrast excitations near N=40: Level structure of Ni-67

Excited states in Ni-67 were populated in deep-inelastic reactions of a Ni-64 beam at 430 MeV on a thick U-238 target. A level scheme built on the previously known 13 micro-s isomer has been delineated up to an excitation energy of ~5.3 MeV and a tentative spin and parity of (21/2-). Shell model calculations have been carried out using two effective interactions in the f5/2pg9/2 model space with a Ni-56 core. Satisfactory agreement between experiment and theory is achieved for the measured transition energies and branching ratios. The calculations indicate that the yrast states are associated with rather complex configurations, herewith demonstrating the relative weakness of the N=40 subshell gap and the importance of multi particle-hole excitations involving the g9/2 neutron orbital.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review

New approach to the conceptual design of STUMM: A module dedicated to the monitoring of neutron and gamma radiation fields generated in IFMIF-DONES

International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility — DEMOsingle bondOriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) is a planned powerful neutron source, which will generate an intense flux of neutrons (up to ∼1015n/s/cm2) with a fusion-relevant energy spectrum. It will be an accelerator source based on deuteron beam - lithium target reactions. The engineering design of IFMIF-DONES is elaborated in the frame of the Early Neutron Source work package of the EUROfusion consortium. The facility will be dedicated to the irradiation of suitable structural materials planned for the construction of future fusion reactors such as DEMO (Demonstration Fusion Power Plant). Start-up Monitoring Module (STUMM) is designed to monitor radiation and thermal conditions during the commissioning phase of IFMIF-DONES, characterize the produced neutron flux and validate neutronic modeling of the facility. The conceptual design of STUMM is prepared by a team of physicists and engineers from the Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) and the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ), Poland. This paper presents the concept of STUMM, the proposed design of the module, and selected measuring systems

Beta decay of 71,73Co; probing single particle states approaching doubly magic 78Ni

Low-energy excited states in 71,73Ni populated via the {\beta} decay of 71,73Co were investigated in an experiment performed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University (MSU). Detailed analysis led to the construction of level schemes of 71,73Ni, which are interpreted using systematics and analyzed using shell model calculations. The 5/2- states attributed to the the f5/2 orbital and positive parity 5/2+ and 7/2+ states from the g9/2 orbital have been identified in both 71,73Ni. In 71Ni the location of a 1/2- {\beta}-decaying isomer is proposed and limits are suggested as to the location of the isomer in 73Ni. The location of positive parity cluster states are also identified in 71,73Ni. Beta-delayed neutron branching ratios obtained from this data are given for both 71,73Co.Comment: Accepted for publication in PR

Low temperature spin fluctuations in geometrically frustrated Yb3Ga5O12

In the garnet structure compound Yb3Ga5O12, the Yb3+ ions (ground state effective spin S' = 1/2) are situated on two interpenetrating corner sharing triangular sublattices such that frustrated magnetic interactions are possible. Previous specific heat measurements evidenced the development of short range magnetic correlations below 0.5K and a lambda-transition at 54mK (Filippi et al. J. Phys. C: Solid State Physics 13 (1980) 1277). From 170-Yb M"ossbauer spectroscopy measurements down to 36mK, we find there is no static magnetic order at temperatures below that of the lambda-transition. Below 0.3K, the fluctuation frequency of the short range correlated Yb3+ moments progressively slows down and as the temperature tends to 0, the frequency tends to a quasi-saturated value of 3 x 10^9 s^-1. We also examined the Yb3+ paramagnetic relaxation rates up to 300K using 172-Yb perturbed angular correlation measurements: they evidence phonon driven processes.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Penning-Trap Mass Measurements of the Neutron-Rich K and Ca Isotopes: Resurgence of the N = 28 Shell Strength

We present Penning-trap mass measurements of neutron-rich 44,47-50K and 49,50Ca isotopes carried out at the TITAN facility at TRIUMF-ISAC. The 44K mass measurement was performed with a charge-bred 4+ ion utilizing the TITAN EBIT, and agrees with the literature. The mass excesses obtained for 47K and 49,50Ca are more precise and agree with the values published in the 2003 Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME'03). The 48,49,50K mass excesses are more precise than the AME'03 values by more than one order of magnitude. For 48,49K, we find deviations by 7 sigma and 10 sigma, respectively. The new 49K mass excess lowers significantly the two-neutron separation energy at the neutron number N=30 compared with the separation energy calculated from the AME'03 mass-excess values, and thus, increases the N=28 neutron-shell gap energy at Z=19 by approximately 1 MeV.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted for PR

Experimental study of neutron-rich nuclei 89Rb and 91Rb

Neutron-rich 89,91Rb nuclei populated as fission products in heavy-ion reactions have been studied with the Gammasphere array. The previously known level schemes have been extended to higher excitation energies and spins. Spin and parity assignments were based on angular correlation analyses. A value of T1/2 = 8(2) ns was extracted for the isomeric g9/2 state in 89Rb

High-spin states and isomers in the one-proton-hole and three-neutron-hole 204Tl isotope

The high-spin structure of the neutron-rich 204Tl isotope has been studied up to a 11.2-MeV excitation energy and a I=30 spin range using the deep-inelastic heavy-ion γ-spectroscopy method with reactions of 48Ca on thick 208Pb and 238U targets. The established structure of yrast levels involves four isomeric states up to Iπ=22-, the highest spin state available for the maximally aligned four valence holes. The observations are interpreted and quantitatively confirmed by shell-model calculations. The rates of the identified M2 and E3 isomeric decays are discussed and a striking analogy is found for the yrast level structures and γ decays observed in the 18+ to 22- and 45/2- to 53/2+ spin ranges in 204Tl and 203Hg, respectively. In the highest spin part of the scheme, two prominently populated yrast states are tentatively identified as the 3 - 208Pb core excitation built on the 22- and 20 + maximally aligned four-hole states. Their energies are reproduced well by using energy shifts observed in experiments for the 208Pb core octupole excitation coupled to simpler intrinsic structures

β -decay study of Kr 94

β decay of neutron-rich nuclide Kr94 was reinvestigated by means of a high resolution on-line mass separator and β-γ spectroscopy. In total 22 γ-ray transitions were assigned to the decay of Kr94, and a new isomeric state was identified. The new information allows us to build detailed levels systematics in a chain of odd-odd rubidium isotopes and draw conclusions on nuclear structure for some of the observed states. The discussed level structure affects the evolution of β-decay half-lives for neutron-rich selenium, krypton, and strontium isotopes

Yrast structure of 97Zr

The yrast structure of the neutron-rich nucleus 97Zr has been studied using fission of target-like products in the reaction of a 48Ca beam on a thick 238U target. The level scheme known from the previous studies up to an energy and spin of approx. 4619 keV and 23/2-, respectively, has been extended by about 3 MeV and a few units of angular momentum. The located structure can be discussed in terms of shell model configurations

β-decay studies of the transitional nucleus Cu75 and the structure of Zn75

The β decay of Cu75 [t1/2=1.222(8)s] to levels in Zn75 was studied at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The γγ and βγ data were collected at the Low-energy Radioactive Ion Beam Spectroscopy Station using the high-resolution isobar separator to obtain a purified Cu75 beam with a rate of over 2000 ions per second. The excited states in Zn75 have been identified for the first time. A total of 120 γ-ray transitions were placed in a level scheme containing 59 levels including two states above the neutron separation energy and a previously unknown 1/2- isomeric state at 127 keV. Spins and parities of several states were deduced and interpreted based on the observed β feeding and γ-decay pattern. © 2011 American Physical Society