D. Voulot

Studies of pear-shaped nuclei using accelerated radioactive beams

There is strong circumstantial evidence that certain heavy, unstable atomic nuclei are ‘octupole deformed’, that is, distorted into a pear shape. This contrasts with the more prevalent rugby-ball shape of nuclei with reflection-symmetric, quadrupole deformations. The elusive octupole deformed nuclei are of importance for nuclear structure theory, and also in searches for physics beyond the standard model; any measurable electric-dipole moment (a signature of the latter) is expected to be amplified in such nuclei. Here we determine electric octupole transition strengths (a direct measure of octupole correlations) for short-lived isotopes of radon and radium. Coulomb excitation experiments were performed using accelerated beams of heavy, radioactive ions. Our data on 220Rn and 224Ra show clear evidence for stronger octupole deformation in the latter. The results enable discrimination between differing theoretical approaches to octupole correlations, and help to constrain suitable candidates for experimental studies of atomic electric-dipole moments that might reveal extensions to the standard model.

0(gs)+ -->2(1)+ transition strengths in 106Sn and 108Sn.

The reduced transition probabilities, B(E2; 0(gs)+ -->2(1)+), have been measured in the radioactive isotopes (108,106)Sn using subbarrier Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Deexcitation gamma rays were detected by the highly segmented MINIBALL Ge-detector array. The results, B(E2;0(gs)+ -->2(1)+)=0.222(19)e2b2 for 108Sn and B(E2; 0(gs)+-->2(1)+)=0.195(39)e2b2 for 106Sn were determined relative to a stable 58Ni target. The resulting B(E2) values are approximately 30% larger than shell-model predictions and deviate from the generalized seniority model. This experimental result may point towards a weakening of the N=Z=50 shell closure.

Spectroscopic Quadrupole Moments in {96,98}Sr: Evidence for Shape Coexistence in Neutron-Rich Strontium Isotopes at N=60.

Neutron-rich {96,98}Sr isotopes have been investigated by safe Coulomb excitation of radioactive beams at the REX-ISOLDE facility. Reduced transition probabilities and spectroscopic quadrupole moments have been extracted from the differential Coulomb excitation cross sections. These results allow, for the first time, the drawing of definite conclusions about the shape coexistence of highly deformed prolate and spherical configurations. In particular, a very small mixing between the coexisting states is observed, contrary to other mass regions where strong mixing is present. Experimental results have been compared to beyond-mean-field calculations using the Gogny D1S interaction in a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian formalism, which reproduce the shape change at N=60.

Collectivity in the light radon nuclei measured directly via Coulomb excitation

Background: Shape coexistence in heavy nuclei poses a strong challenge to state-of-the-art nuclear models, where several competing shape minima are found close to the ground state. A classic region for investigating this phenomenon is in the region around Z = 82 and the neutron midshell at N = 104. Purpose: Evidence for shape coexistence has been inferred from a-decay measurements, laser spectroscopy, and in-beam measurements. While the latter allow the pattern of excited states and rotational band structures to be mapped out, a detailed understanding of shape coexistence can only come from measurements of electromagnetic matrix elements. Method: Secondary, radioactive ion beams of Rn-202 and Rn-204 were studied by means of low-energy Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE in CERN. Results: The electric-quadrupole (E2) matrix element connecting the ground state and first excited 2(1)(+) state was extracted for both Rn-202 and Rn-204, corresponding to B(E2; 2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) = 29(-8)(+8) and 43(-12)(+17) W.u., respectively. Additionally, E2 matrix elements connecting the 2(1)(+) state with the 4(1)(+) and 2(2)(+) states were determined in Rn-202. No excited 0(+) states were observed in the current data set, possibly owing to a limited population of second-order processes at the currently available beam energies. Conclusions: The results are discussed in terms of collectivity and the deformation of both nuclei studied is deduced to be weak, as expected from the low-lying level-energy schemes. Comparisons are also made to state-of-the-art beyond-mean-field model calculations and the magnitude of the transitional quadrupole moments are well reproduced. (Less)

Coulomb excitation of Ga-73

The B(E2; I i → I f ) values for transitions in 71 31 Ga 40 and 73 31 Ga 42 were deduced from a Coulomb excitation experiment at the safe energy of 2.95 MeV/nucleon using post-accelerated beams of 71,73 Ga at the REX-ISOLDE on-line isotope mass separator facility. The emitted γ rays were detected by the MINIBALL γ-detector array, and B(E2; I i → I f ) values were obtained from the yields normalized to the known strength of the 2 + → 0 + transition in the 120 Sn target. The comparison of these new results with the data of less neutron-rich gallium isotopes shows a shift of the E2 collectivity toward lower excitation energy when adding neutrons beyond N = 40. This supports conclusions from previous studies of the gallium isotopes, which indicated a structural change in this isotopic chain between N = 40 and 42. Combined with recent measurements from collinear laser spectroscopy showing a 1/2- spin and parity for the ground state, the extracted results revealed evidence for a 1 /2-, 3/2- doublet near the ground state in 73 31 Ga 42 differing by at most 0.8 keV in energy.

Low-energy Coulomb excitation of

Sub-barrier Coulomb excitation was performed on a mixed beam of 62Mn and 62Fe, following in-trap β− decay of 62Mn at REX-ISOLDE, CERN. The trapping and charge breeding times were varied in order to alter the composition of the beam, which was measured by means of an ionisation chamber at the zero-angle position of the Miniball array. A new transition was observed at 418 keV, which has been tentatively associated to a (2+,3+)→ 1g.s.+ transition. This fixes the relative positions of the β-decaying 4+ and 1+ states in 62Mn for the first time. Population of the 21+ state was observed in 62Fe and the cross-section determined by normalisation to the 109Ag target excitation, confirming the B(E2) value measured in recoil-distance lifetime experiments.

^{62}

The B(E2; I i → I f ) values for transitions in 71 31 Ga 40 and 73 31 Ga 42 were deduced from a Coulomb excitation experiment at the safe energy of 2.95 MeV/nucleon using post-accelerated beams of 71,73 Ga at the REX-ISOLDE on-line isotope mass separator facility. The emitted γ rays were detected by the MINIBALL γ-detector array, and B(E2; I i → I f ) values were obtained from the yields normalized to the known strength of the 2 + → 0 + transition in the 120 Sn target. The comparison of these new results with the data of less neutron-rich gallium isotopes shows a shift of the E2 collectivity toward lower excitation energy when adding neutrons beyond N = 40. This supports conclusions from previous studies of the gallium isotopes, which indicated a structural change in this isotopic chain between N = 40 and 42. Combined with recent measurements from collinear laser spectroscopy showing a 1/2- spin and parity for the ground state, the extracted results revealed evidence for a 1 /2-, 3/2- doublet near the ground state in 73 31 Ga 42 differing by at most 0.8 keV in energy.

Fe and

Using the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN the Coulomb excitation cross sections for the 0(gs)(+)-> 2(1)(+) transition in the beta-unstable isotopes Cd-100,Cd-102,Cd-104 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 Cd-102,Cd-104. In addition to the B(E2) values in Cd-102,Cd-104, a first experimental limit for the B(E2) value in Cd-100 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. (Less)

^{62}

The electromagnetic structure of 140 Sm was studied in a low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment with a radioactive ion beam from the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The 2 + and 4 + states of the ground-state band and a second 2 + state were populated by multistep excitation. The analysis of the differential Coulomb excitation cross sections yielded reduced transition probabilities between all observed states and the spectroscopic quadrupole moment for the 2 + 1 state. The experimental results are compared to large-scale shell model calculations and beyond-mean-field calculations based on the Gogny D1S interaction with a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian formalism. Simpler geometric and algebraic models are also employed to interpret the experimental data. The results indicate that 140 Sm shows considerable γ softness, but in contrast to earlier speculation no signs of shape coexistence at low excitation energy. This work sheds more light on the onset of deformation and collectivity in this mass region.

Mn following in-beam decay of

The electromagnetic structure of 140 Sm was studied in a low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment with a radioactive ion beam from the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The 2 + and 4 + states of the ground-state band and a second 2 + state were populated by multistep excitation. The analysis of the differential Coulomb excitation cross sections yielded reduced transition probabilities between all observed states and the spectroscopic quadrupole moment for the 2 + 1 state. The experimental results are compared to large-scale shell model calculations and beyond-mean-field calculations based on the Gogny D1S interaction with a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian formalism. Simpler geometric and algebraic models are also employed to interpret the experimental data. The results indicate that 140 Sm shows considerable γ softness, but in contrast to earlier speculation no signs of shape coexistence at low excitation energy. This work sheds more light on the onset of deformation and collectivity in this mass region.