J. Van de Walle

New stopping cell capabilities: RF carpet performance at high gas density and cryogenic operation

We have developed a stopping cell to be used at the FRS and Super-FRS (Super-conducting FRagment Separator) at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy-Ion Research and the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), both in Darmstadt, Germany. The cell has a stopping volume with a length of 1u2009m and a diameter of 25u2009cm. It is aimed at operation with high-density helium gas (up to 0.2u2009mg/cm3). Ours is the first realisation of a stopping cell in which the required purity of the helium stopping gas is ensured by operation at cryogenic temperatures. On the exit side, the ions are guided to the exit hole by an RF carpet with 4 electrodes per mm, operating at a frequency of 5.8u2009MHz. We present the first commissioning results of the cryogenic stopping cell. Using 219Rn ions emitted as alpha-decay recoils from a 223Ra source, a combined ion survival and extraction efficiency between 10 and 25% is measured for helium gas at a temperature of 85u2009K and with a density up to 0.07u2009mg/cm3 (equivalent to a pressure of 430u2009mbar at room temperature). This density is almost two times higher than demonstrated up to now for RF ion repelling structures in helium gas. Given the operational and design parameters of the system, it is projected that this technology is useful up to a helium gas density of at least 0.2u2009mg/cm3.

'Safe' Coulomb excitation of Mg-30

We report on the first radioactive beam experiment performed at the recently commissioned REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN in conjunction with the highly efficient gamma spectrometer MINIBALL. Using 30Mg ions accelerated to an energy of 2.25 MeV/u together with a thin (nat)Ni target, Coulomb excitation of the first excited 2+ states of the projectile and target nuclei well below the Coulomb barrier was observed. From the measured relative deexcitation gamma-ray yields the B(E2;0(+)gs-->2(+)1) value of 30Mg was determined to be 241(31)e2 fm4. Our result is lower than values obtained at projectile fragmentation facilities using the intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation method, and confirms the theoretical conjecture that the neutron-rich magnesium isotope 30Mg resides outside the island of inversion.

Shape isomerism at N=40: Discovery of a proton intruder state in Co67

The nuclear structure of 67Co has been investigated through 67Fe beta-decay. The 67Fe isotopes were produced at the LISOL facility in proton-induced fission of 238U and selected using resonant laser ionization combined with mass separation. The application of a new correlation technique unambiguously revealed a 496(33) ms isomeric state in 67Co at an unexpected low energy of 492 keV. A 67Co level scheme has been deduced. Proposed spin and parities suggest a spherical (7/2-) 67Co ground state and a deformed first excited (1/2-) state at 492 keV, interpreted as a proton 1p-2h prolate intruder state.

First results on in-beam γ spectroscopy of neutron-rich Na and Mg isotopes at REX-ISOLDE

After the successful commissioning of the radioactive beam experiment at ISOLDE (REX-ISOLDE) — an accelerator for exotic nuclei produced by ISOLDE — first physics experiments using these beams were performed. Initial experiments focused on the region of deformation in the vicinity of the neutron-rich Na and Mg isotopes. Preliminary results show the high potential and physics opportunities offered by the exotic isotope accelerator REX in conjunction with the modern Germanium γ spectrometer MINIBALL.

First Use of Post-Accelerated Isomeric Beams for Coulomb Excitations Studies of Odd-Odd Nuclei Around N=40

We report on the first use of post-accelerated radioactive isomeric beams. Long-lived isomeric states in 68Cu and 70Cu have been produced and separated at ISOLDE, CERN. Subsequently they were post-accelerated to 2.86 MeV/u and sent to a target in the center of the MINIBALL spectrometer, used for the detection of the γ-rays of interest. The preliminary results from the Coulomb excitation of the Iπ=6-, 1+ states in 68Cu and the Iπ=6- one in 70Cu, compared to a large-scale shell model calculations, hint the importance of the excitations across the Z=28 gap for the understanding of the nuclear structure in the neutron-rich N=40 region.

Gamow–Teller transitions in exotic pf-shell nuclei relevant to supernova explosion

Gamow–Teller (GT) transitions starting from unstable pf-shell nuclei are of interest not only in nuclear physics, but also in astrophysics, e.g. in violent neutrino induced reactions at the core-collapse stage of type II supernovae. In the β-decay study of these pf-shell nuclei, half-lives can be measured rather accurately. On the other hand, in high-resolution (3He, t) charge-exchange reactions at 0°, individual GT transitions up to high excitations can be studied. Assuming the isospin symmetry for the strengths of Tz = ±1 → 0 analogous GT transitions, we present a unique merged analysis for the determination of absolute B(GT) values.

Coulomb excitation of neutron-rich Cd isotopes at REX-ISOLDE

We report on the “safe” Coulomb excitation of neutron‐rich Cd isotopes in the vicinity of the doubly magic nucleus 132Sn. The radioactive nuclei have been produced by ISOLDE at CERN and postaccelerated by the REX‐ISOLDE facility. The γ‐decay of excited states has been detected by the MINIBALL array. Preliminary results for the B(E2) values of 122,124Cd are consistent with expectations from phenomenological systematics.

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.

Alpha cluster structure in 56Ni

The inelastic

Sub-Barrier Coulomb Excitation of 106,108,110Sn

alpha