Q. Lu

New cold and ultra hot binary and cold ternary spontaneous fission modes for 252Cf and new band structures with gammasphere

Abstract Prompt γ-γ-γ and x-γ-γ coincidence studies following the spontaneous fission of 252Cf were carried out first at Oak Ridge then at Gammasphere first with 36 and later with 72 Ge and two x-ray detectors and a long x-ray-γ coincidence experiment at Idaho. Many new cases of correlated pairs in cold (zero neutron emission) binary fission are observed and for the first time the heavier correlated pairs are identified in ternary fission where the third partners are α, 6He (or α2n), 10Be and, tentatively, 14C. Theoretical calculations were carried out of the relative yields of cold binary and ternary fission. There is reasonable agreement between the relative theoretical and experimental yields. New level structures and isotopes include new octupole deformations, identical bands and other structures. Stable octupole deformation is now observed in N=86, 140Xe, 142Ba and 144Ba and 143Ba, 148Ba and to higher spin in 144Ba. The 142–146Ba data provide the first evidence for the predicted disappearance of stable octupole deformation at high spins from band crossings. Identical yrast bands are observed with widely different neutron and proton numbers in 98,100Sr, 108,110Ru, 112,116Pd, 144,146Ba, 152,154,156Nd, 156Sm, 160Gd and a new type of shifted identical bands in 156,158,160Sm as well as the first identical octupole bands in 142,144Ba. Other new level structures are found. Yields and neutron multiplicities were measured directly for SrNd, ZrCe, MoBa, RuXe, and PdTe correlated pairs. A new ultra hot fission mode was discovered going via only 108Mo144Ba, 107Mo145Ba, and/or 106Mo146Ba pairs where one or more of 44,145,146Ba are hyperdeformed at scission with 3:1 axis ratio.

Zero neutron emission in spontaneous fission of 252Cf: a form of cluster radioactivity

By using the triple gamma coincidence technique with 20 Ge detectors at the Holifield Laboratory in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf, neutronless fragmentations, like 104Mo-148Ba, 106Mo-146Ba, 108Mo-144Ba and 104Zr-148Ce, are experimentally observed directly for the first time. When zero neutron emission spontaneous fission occurs, essentially all the available energy goes into the total kinetic energy of the fragments (cold fission). This process is seen theoretically to be an extension of cluster radioactivity, which involves the emission of one light fragment like 14C, 20O, (24)Ne or 28Mg to nearly equal fragments. In the neutronless spontaneous fission reported here, double fine structures (i.e. decays to the excited states of both fragments) are observed experimentally in contrast to fine structure in only the heavy partner populated by the light partner in earlier cluster radioactivity work. Neutronless spontaneous fission is discussed in the framework of cluster radioactivity.

Octupole deformation in 142,143Ba and 144Ce: new band structures in neutron-rich Ba-isotopes

Abstract New, high spin band structures are established for the neutron-rich nuclei 142,143,145,147Ba, and 144Ce, and levels of 144,146Ba extended to higher spins from the study of γ-γ and γ-γ-γ coincidence studies in spontaneous fission. Alternating parity sequences connected by strong electric dipole transitions are identified in 142,143Ba and 144Ce but not in 145,147Ba to confirm theoretical predictions of stable octupole deformation for N = 86.

New Spontaneous Fission Mode for 252Cf: Indication of Hyperdeformed 144,145,146Ba at Scission.

From {gamma}-ray coincidence studies following spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf, direct measurements of yields and neutron multiplicities were made for Sr-Nd, Zr-Ce, Mo-Ba, Ru-Xe, and Pd-Te correlated pairs. A strong enhancement of the 7-10 neutron channels for Mo-Ba pairs is observed. A new fission mode associated with the enhanced neutron yields is identified. These data can be interpreted in terms of one or more of {sup 144,145,146}Ba being hyperdeformed at scission. Mean field calculations predict a hyperdeformed third minimum in {sup 252}Cf and an extremely deformed {sup 146}Ba fragment at scission. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

Identification of 152Ce and unexpected variations in moments of inertia with neutron number and spin in 142-148Ba, 144-152Ce and 146-156Nd

Levels in 152Ce are identified for the first time along with new high spin states in 142-148Ba, 144-150Ce and 150-156Nd from X-X, gamma -X and gamma - gamma - gamma -ray coincidence measurement in spontaneous fission of 252Cf and 242Pu. The N=88, 90 Ba nuclei have very nearly identical J1 for the yrast bands (2+ to 10+) and for the octupole bands (3- to 15-). The N=92, 94 Nd nuclei have essentially identical yrast J1 (0+ to 16+).

Structure of neutron-rich nuclei and neutron multiplicities in spontaneous fission

Abstract New insights into the fission process and the structure of neutron-rich nuclei have been gained by measuring γ-γ and γ-γ-γ coincidences of the prompt γ-rays following the spontaneous fission of 252Cf. The data were taken with the Compton Suppression Spectrometer System at HHIRF. New high spin levels were observed in 143,145,147Ba Only in 143Ba are intertwined bands observed with the characteristics of the octupole structure found only in 144Ba. New high spin states observed in the N = 84 136 Te, 138 Xe, 140 Ba nuclei exhibit a symmetry pattern suggestive of a pseudospin f - shell . For the first time in fission, the relative yields and neutron multiplicities were measured directly. Yields and multiplicities were measured directly for the ZrCe and MoBa correlated fragment pairs by observing the coincidences between the γ-rays in each fragment. Zero-neutron to ten-neutron emission yields were determined; the latter for the first time. The zero-neutron emission can be understood as a new example of cluster radioactivity. These results demonstrate that the use of the high resolution γ-γ-γ coincidence technique employed here for the first time opens up a new approach to the study of the fission process that will provide previously inaccessible details of the process.

Identical and shifted identical bands

SummarySpontaneous fission of252Cm was studied with 72 large Compton suppressed Ge detectors in Gammasphere. New isotopes160Sm and162Gd were identified. Through X-ray-γ and γ-γ-γ coincidence measurements, level energies were established to spins 14+ to 20+ in152, 154, 15660Nd92, 94, 96156, 158, 16062Sm94, 96, 98 and160, 16264Gd96, 98. These nuclei exhibit a remarkable variety of identical bands and bands where the energies and moments of inertia are shifted by the same constant amounts for every spin state from 2+ to 12+ for various combinations of nuclei differing by 2n, 4n, 2p, 4p and α.

New binary and ternary spontaneous modes for 252Cf and new band structures with gammasphere

Prompt γ-γ-γ coincidence studies following spontaneous fission of 252Cf were carried out at Gammasphere first with 36 and later with 72 Ge detectors. Yields and neutron multiplicities were measured directly for Sr-Nd, Zr-Ce Mo-Ba, Ru-Xe, and Pd-Te correlated pairs. A new hot fission mode was discovered going via only 108Mo-144Ba, 107Mo-145Ba, and/or 106Mo-146Ba pairs where one or more of 144,145,146Ba are hyperdeformed at scission with 3:1 axis ratio. For the first time correlated pairs involved in cold ternary fission were observed with the third particle 4He, possibly 6He, and 10Be. The 142-146Ba data provide evidence for the predicted disappearance of stable octupole deformation at high spins. New level structures and isotopes include new octupole deformations, identical bands and other structures.

New Spontaneous Fission Mode for {sup {bold 252}}Cf: Indication of Hyperdeformed {sup {bold 144,145,146}}Ba at Scission

From {gamma}-ray coincidence studies following spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf, direct measurements of yields and neutron multiplicities were made for Sr-Nd, Zr-Ce, Mo-Ba, Ru-Xe, and Pd-Te correlated pairs. A strong enhancement of the 7-10 neutron channels for Mo-Ba pairs is observed. A new fission mode associated with the enhanced neutron yields is identified. These data can be interpreted in terms of one or more of {sup 144,145,146}Ba being hyperdeformed at scission. Mean field calculations predict a hyperdeformed third minimum in {sup 252}Cf and an extremely deformed {sup 146}Ba fragment at scission. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

New Spontaneous Fission Mode for252Cf: Indication of Hyperdeformed144,145,146Baat Scission

From {gamma}-ray coincidence studies following spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf, direct measurements of yields and neutron multiplicities were made for Sr-Nd, Zr-Ce, Mo-Ba, Ru-Xe, and Pd-Te correlated pairs. A strong enhancement of the 7-10 neutron channels for Mo-Ba pairs is observed. A new fission mode associated with the enhanced neutron yields is identified. These data can be interpreted in terms of one or more of {sup 144,145,146}Ba being hyperdeformed at scission. Mean field calculations predict a hyperdeformed third minimum in {sup 252}Cf and an extremely deformed {sup 146}Ba fragment at scission. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}