S.J. Gale

Single particle excitations and properties of multiple band terminations near spin 50ħ in 158Er

The competition between collective rotation and single-particle behaviour at high spin in 158Er has been investigated with the Eurogam spectrometer. Band terminating states have been observed in three structures at Iπ = 46+, 48− and 49− and specific single-particle configurations are assigned by comparison with cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations. These special states are found to be related by very simple single particle excitations. These data indicate that an oblate mean field (ϵ ∼ −0.14) is established for a nuclear core plus 12 aligned valence nucleons which is stable against single-particle rearrangements. In the (π, α) = (+, 0) states the collective and weakly collective terminating structures are observed to coexist between 30+ and 46+.

M1 transitions between superdeformed states in 195Tl: the fingerprint of the i132 proton intruder orbital

Abstract Dipole transitions linking the superdeformed Yrast signature-partner bands in 195Tl have been observed using the EUROGAM 1 spectrometer. From the measurements of the photon decay branching ratios, taken together with the average quadrupole moment measured in neighbouring superdeformed nuclei, we find that the two signature partner superdeformed bands involve the excitation of the 81 st proton into the i 13 2 Ω= 5 2 intruder orbital

Two proton high-spin excitations and dipole bands in192Hg

The192Hg nucleus was populated in the160Gd(36S, 4n) reaction at a beam energy of E=159 MeV. Emittedγ-rays were detected with the EUROGAM array comprising 43 Compton-suppressed large volume Ge detectors. The level scheme of192Hg has been extended up to an excitation energy of E=10.4 MeV and spin I=34 ħ. Two new structures, made of competing ΔI=1 and ΔI=2 transitions have been observed and their connexions with the low-lying levels established. Their lowest levels are located at 6.304 MeV and 6.879 MeV excitation energy. The experimental results are compared with mean-field HF+BCS calculations. It is proposed that the new structures originate from deformation-aligned quasi-proton excitations π(i13/2 * h9/2)K=11 andπ (h9/2)K=82, coupled to rotation-aligned quasi-neutron ν(i13/2)n and quasi-proton π(h11/2)2 excitations.

Highly excited Delta I=1 structures in 193Hg

Highly excited states in the nucleus 193Hg have been investigated by in-beam gamma -ray spectroscopic techniques using the EUROGAM array. The reaction 150Nd(48Ca,5n) at a beam energy of 213 MeV was used to populate states of 193Hg. The level scheme has been considerably extended (up to 10.7 MeV) and enriched from earlier studies. Two new structures of competing dipole and quadrupole transitions were observed. Experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios were determined for the two structures and compared with theoretical estimates. They were also compared with similar structures in the neighbouring Hg and Pb nuclei.

The N = 7 unfavoured superdeformed band in 193Hg; coriolis splitting and neutron shell structure at extreme deformation

A new superdeformed band is reported in 193Hg which has properties that are consistent with it being based on the unfavoured N = 7 (π, α) = (−, +12) intruder orbital. The signature splitting at hω = 200 keV of this intruder orbital and its favoured (−, −12) partner is estimated to be 160±30 keV, which is in agreement with cranked mean field calculations. This band completes the set of low-lying quasi-neutron orbitals predicted to be at the N = 113 superdeformed Fermi-surface. The previously known superdeformed bands in 193Hg have been extended to higher rotational frequencies, hω ⩾ 0.40 MeV.

M1 transitions between superdeformed states in 194, 195Tl: The fingerprint of the i13/2 proton intruder orbital

Recent data from the EUROGAM array have revealed dipole transitions linking signature partner superdeformed bands in 194Tl and 195Tl nuclei. Measurements of the decay branching ratios, taken together with the average quadrupole moment of the neighboring superdeformed nuclei, enable the absolute M1 strengths to be determined. From these data and using the strong coupling model, we find that two SD bands in 195Tl are due to the 81st proton being in the [642]5/2+ orbital and four from the six SD bands in 194Tl correspond to a configuration where the intrinsic spins of the single proton and single neutron are aligned.

Band termination spectroscopy in 157Er

The level scheme of 157Er has been extended from a spin region where the nucleus behaves as a prolate rotor to a region where the spin is produced by the alignment of all or most of the available valence nucleons along the symmetry axis of a weakly deformed oblate shape. The level scheme was established at high spin using up to four-fold gamma -ray coincidences detected in the Eurogam spectrometer following the reaction 114Cd(48Ca,5n)157Er at a bombarding energy of 210 MeV. Particularly favoured states have been established at IK=69/2+, 81/2+, 71/2+, 77/2-, 87-/2 and 89-/2. Specific single-particle configurations are assigned to these special states by comparison with cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations. These states are related to structures observed in the neighbouring nuclei 158Er and 157Ho. These data provide the spectrum of single-particle states for the lowest lying valence orbitals above the 146Gd closed core.

Oblate bands in A approximately 200 bismuth nuclei

The nuclei 198-200Bi were populated via the 186W(19F,xn)198-200Bi reaction at beam energies of 115 MeV and 105 MeV. Another experiment, aimed at investigating the high-spin-level structure of 203,204Bi, used the 198Pt(11B,xn) reaction at a beam energy of 74 MeV. Five new Delta I=1 rotational structures, consisting of stretched magnetic dipole transitions, have been observed. One of these bands is assigned to 198Bi, one to 199Bi, two to 200Bi, and one to 203Bi. The behaviour of the dynamic moments of inertia of these oblate bands is compared with other bands in neighbouring Pb and Bi nuclei.

Study of the superdeformed band in 194Pb and 192Hg with EUROGAM

A subset of the Eurogam array has been used to investigate the decay out of the superdeformed (SD) band in 194Pb. Two new band members and a new decay pattern into the low lying states at normal deformation (ND) have been established for this band. In the level scheme at normal deformation, the linking transitions between the previously known floating ΔI = 1 sequence and the lower states have been established for the first time. In this talk we will also report on the preliminary results of the search for the linking transitions between the SD and ND states in 192Hg with the fully operational EUROGAM array.

High spin structures in 194 Hg

High spin states in the isotope194Hg were populated using the150Nd (48Ca,4n) reaction at a beam energy of 213 MeV. The analysis ofγ-γ coincidences has revealed two new structures at excitation energies above 6 MeV and at moderate spin. The two structures are a manifestation of the deviation of nucleus from the collective rotation which dominates its lower excitation behaviour. A comparison with similar structures in the neighbouring Hg isotopes is also attempted.