No Arabic abstract
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.
Nuclei with magic numbers serve as important benchmarks in nuclear theory. In addition, neutron-rich nuclei play an important role in the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process (r-process). 78Ni is the only doubly-magic nucleus that is also an important waiting point in the r-process, and serves as a major bottleneck in the synthesis of heavier elements. The half-life of 78Ni has been experimentally deduced for the first time at the Coupled Cyclotron Facility of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University, and was found to be 110 (+100 -60) ms. In the same experiment, a first half-life was deduced for 77Ni of 128 (+27 -33) ms, and more precise half-lives were deduced for 75Ni and 76Ni of 344 (+20 -24) ms and 238 (+15 -18) ms respectively.
Atomic nuclei have a shell structure where nuclei with magic numbers of neutrons and protons are analogous to the noble gases in atomic physics. Only ten nuclei with the standard magic numbers of both neutrons and protons have so far been observed. The nuclear shell model is founded on the precept that neutrons and protons can move as independent particles in orbitals with discrete quantum numbers, subject to a mean field generated by all the other nucleons. Knowledge of the properties of single-particle states outside nuclear shell closures in exotic nuclei is important for a fundamental understanding of nuclear structure and nucleosynthesis (for example the r-process, which is responsible for the production of about half of the heavy elements). However, as a result of their short lifetimes, there is a paucity of knowledge about the nature of single-particle states outside exotic doubly magic nuclei. Here we measure the single-particle character of the levels in 133Sn that lie outside the double shell closure present at the short-lived nucleus 132Sn. We use an inverse kinematics technique that involves the transfer of a single nucleon to the nucleus. The purity of the measured single-particle states clearly illustrates the magic nature of 132Sn.
Nuclear $beta$-decay in magic nuclei is investigated, taking into account the coupling between particle and collective vibrations,on top of self-consistent random phase approximation calculations based on Skyrme density functionals. The low-lying Gamow-Teller strength is shifted downwards and at times becomes fragmented; as a consequence, the $beta$-decay half-lives are reduced due to the increase of the phase space available for the decay. In some cases, this leads to a very good agreement between theoretical and experimental lifetimes: this happens, in particular, in the case of the Skyrme force SkM*, that can also reproduce the line shape of the high energy Gamow-Teller resonance as it was previously shown.
The double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP has been employed to measure masses and excitation energies for $11/2^-$ isomers in $^{121}$Cd, $^{123}$Cd, $^{125}$Cd and $^{133}$Te, for $1/2^-$ isomers in $^{129}$In and $^{131}$In, and for $7^-$ isomers in $^{130}$Sn and $^{134}$Sb. These first direct mass measurements of the Cd and In isomers reveal deviations to the excitation energies based on results from beta-decay experiments and yield new information on neutron- and proton-hole states close to $^{132}$Sn. A new excitation energy of 144(4) keV has been determined for $^{123}$Cd$^m$. A good agreement with the precisely known excitation energies of $^{121}$Cd$^m$, $^{130}$Sn$^m$, and $^{134}$Sb$^m$ has been found.
The structure of the doubly magic $^{132}_{50}$Sn$_{82}$ has been investigated at the ISOLDE facility at CERN, populated both by the $beta^-$decay of $^{132}$In and $beta^-$-delayed neutron emission of $^{133}$In. The level scheme of $^{132}$Sn is greatly expanded with the addition of 68 $gamma$-transitions and 17 levels observed for the first time in the $beta$ decay. The information on the excited structure is completed by new $gamma$-transitions and states populated in the $beta$-n decay of $^{133}$In. Improved delayed neutron emission probabilities are obtained both for $^{132}$In and $^{133}$In. Level lifetimes are measured via the Advanced Time-Delayed $betagammagamma$(t) fast-timing method. An interpretation of the level structure is given based on the experimental findings and the particle-hole configurations arising from core excitations both from the textit{N} = 82 and textit{Z} = 50 shells, leading to positive and negative parity particle-hole multiplets. The experimental information provides new data to challenge the theoretical description of $^{132}$Sn.