| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Cederwall, Bo, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for a spin-aligned neutron-proton paired phase from the level structure of 92Pd
- 2011
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 469:7328, s. 68-71
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work(1) that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing(2-6), in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus Pd-92. Gamma rays emitted following the Ni-58(Ar-36,2n)Pd-92 fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution c-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction(2-6). We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling(7,8)) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.
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| 3. |
- Cederwall, Bo, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Lifetime Measurements of Excited States in Pt-172 and the Variation of Quadrupole Transition Strength with Angular Momentum
- 2018
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In: Physical Review Letters. - : American Physical Society. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 121:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lifetimes of the first excited 2(+) and 4(+) states in the extremely neutron -deficient nuclide Pt-172 have been measured for the first time using the recoil-distance Doppler shift and recoil-decay tagging techniques. An unusually low value of the ratio B(E2: 4(1)(+) -> 2(1)(+)/B(E2: 2(1)(+) -> 0(gs)(+)) = 0.55(19) was found, similar to a handful of other such anomalous cases observed in the entire Segre chart. The observation adds to a cluster of a few extremely neutron -deficient nuclides of the heavy transition metals with neutron numbers N approximate to 90-94 featuring the effect. No theoretical model calculations reported to date have been able to explain the anomalously low B(E2: 4(1)(+) -> 2(1)(+)/B(E2: 2(1)(+) -> 0(gs)(+)) ratios observed in these cases. Such low values cannot, e.g., be explained within the framework of the geometrical collective model or by algebraic approaches within the interacting boson model framework. It is proposed that the group of B(E2: 4(1)(+) -> 2(1)(+)/B(E2: 2(1)(+) -> 0(gs)(+)) ratios in the extremely neutron-deficient even-even W, Os, and Pt nuclei around neutron numbers N approximate to 90-94 reveal a quantum phase transition from a seniority-conserving structure to a collective regime as a function of neutron number. Although a system governed by seniority symmetry is the only theoretical framework for which such an effect may naturally occur, the phenomenon is highly unexpected for these nuclei that are not situated near closed shells.
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| 4. |
- Ertoprak, Aysegul, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for octupole collectivity in 172Pt
- 2020
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In: European Physical Journal A. - : Springer. - 1434-6001 .- 1434-601X. ; 56:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient nucleus 172Pt were populated via 96Ru(78Kr,2p) and 92Mo(83Kr,3n) reactions. The level scheme has been extended up to an excitation energy of ~ 5 MeV and tentative spin-parity assignments up to Iπ = 18+. Linear polarization and angular distribution measurements were used to determine the electromagnetic E1 character of the dipole transitions connecting the positive-parity ground-state band with an excited side-band, firmly establishing it as a negative-parity band. The lowest member of this negative-parity structure was firmly assigned spin-parity 3-. In addition, we observed an E3 transition from this 3- state to the ground state, providing direct evidence for octupole collectivity in 172Pt. Large-scale shell model (LSSM) and total Routhian surface (TRS) calculations have been performed, supporting the interpretation of the 3- state as a collective octupole-vibrational state.
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| 5. |
- Zhang, Wei, et al.
(author)
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Lifetime measurements of excited states in 169,171,173Os : Persistence of anomalous B(E2) ratios in transitional rare earth nuclei in the presence of a decoupled i13/2 valence neutron
- 2021
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In: Physics Letters B. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693 .- 1873-2445. ; 820
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lifetimes of low-lying excited states in the νi13/2+ bands of the neutron-deficient osmium isotopes 169,171,173Os have been measured for the first time using the recoil-distance Doppler shift and recoil-isomer tagging techniques. An unusually low value is observed for the ratio B(E2;21/2+→17/2+)/B(E2;17/2+→13/2+) in 169Os, similar to the “anomalously” low values of the ratio B(E2;41+→21+)/B(E2;21+→0gs+) previously observed in several transitional rare-earth nuclides with even numbers of neutrons and protons, including the neighbouring 168,170Os. Furthermore, the evolution of B(E2;21/2+→17/2+)/B(E2;17/2+→13/2+) with increasing neutron number in the odd-mass isotopic chain 169,171,173Os is observed to follow the same trend as observed previously in the even-even Os isotopes. These findings indicate that the possible quantum phase transition from a seniority conserving structure to a collective regime as a function of neutron number suggested for the even-even systems is maintained in these odd-mass osmium nuclei, with the odd valence neutron merely acting as a “spectator”. As for the even-even nuclei, the phenomenon is highly unexpected for nuclei that are not situated near closed shells.
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| 6. |
- Procter, M. G., et al.
(author)
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Anomalous transition strength in the proton-unbound nucleus (109)(53)I56
- 2011
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In: Physics Letters B. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693 .- 1873-2445. ; 704:3, s. 118-122
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A lifetime measurement has been made for the first excited 11/2(+) state in the proton-unbound nucleus (109)(53)I56 using the recoil-distance Doppler-shift method in conjunction with recoil-proton tagging. The experimental reduced transition probability is considerably smaller than the prediction of theoretical shell-model calculations using the CD-Bonn nucleon-nucleon potential. The discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental reduced transition strengths in this work most likely arises from the inability of the current shell-model calculations to accurately account for the behavior of the unbound nuclear states.
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| 7. |
- Procter, M. G., et al.
(author)
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Isomer-tagged differential-plunger measurements in Xe-113(54)
- 2013
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In: Physical Review C. Nuclear Physics. - 0556-2813 .- 1089-490X. ; 87:1, s. 014308-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The 278-keV M2 gamma decay from the vh(11/2) isomeric state in Xe-113 has been observed for the first time using the recoil-isomer tagging technique. The half-life of the isomer has been measured to be 6.9(3) mu s. The derived B(M2) value is in agreement with the trend of systematic measurements of M2 transition strengths in neutron-deficient tellurium and tin isotopes. The lifetime of the first excited state in the vh(11/2) band has been measured using the recoil distance Doppler-shift method. The extracted B(E2) value has been compared to theoretical CD-Bonn calculations and recent lifetime measurements in Te-109. This comparison of B(E2) values has been used to shed light on the possible influence of collective degrees of freedom on M2 transition strengths in the most neutron-deficient xenon nuclei. The vh(11/2) band is deduced to have a degree of deformation comparable with the ground-state bands of the even-mass xenon isotopes. However, the value deduced in this work indicates a loss of collective behavior when compared with the lower-mass Te-109. This result suggests that, while changes in deformation may be partly responsible for the observed trend in B(M2) values for increasing Z, other effects may also be present.
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| 8. |
- Ghazi Moradi, Farnaz, et al.
(author)
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High-spin study of 162Ta
- 2011
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In: Physical Review C. Nuclear Physics. - 0556-2813 .- 1089-490X. ; 84:6, s. 064312-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Excited states in the odd-odd neutron deficient nucleus (162)Ta (Z = 73, N = 89) have been studied for the first time. The gamma spectroscopy analysis using gamma - gamma - gamma coincidences revealed a strongly coupled rotational structure that was established up to large angular momentum states. The rotational band was assigned to the configuration pi h(11/2)[514]9/2 circle times nu i(13/2)[660]1/2 based on its rotational and electromagnetic properties. The data are interpreted within the framework of total Routhian surface calculations, which suggests an axially symmetric shape with a gamma-softminimum at beta(2) approximate to 0.16 and gamma approximate to 6 degrees. The crossing of the signature partners observed in heavier (N >= 91) odd-odd nuclides in this mass region is found to be absent at N = 89. This might be correlated with a change in S-band structure above the paired band crossing at these neutron numbers.
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| 9. |
- Bäck, Torbjörn, et al.
(author)
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Lifetime measurement of the first excited 2(+) state in (108)Te
- 2011
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In: Physical Review C. Nuclear Physics. - 0556-2813 .- 1089-490X. ; 84:4, s. 041306-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The lifetime of the first excited 2(+) state in the neutron deficient nuclide (108)Te has been measured for the first time, using a combined recoil decay tagging and recoil distance Doppler shift technique. The deduced reduced transition probability is B(E2;0(g.s.)(+) -> 2(+)) = 0.39(-0.04)(+0.05)e(2)b(2). Compared to previous experimental data on neutron deficient tellurium isotopes, the new data point constitutes a large step (six neutrons) toward the N = 50 shell closure. In contrast to what has earlier been reported for the light tin isotopes, our result for tellurium does not show any enhanced transition probability with respect to the theoretical predictions and the tellurium systematics including the new data is successfully reproduced by state-of-the-art shell model calculations.
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| 10. |
- Ghazi Moradi, Farnaz, et al.
(author)
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Spectroscopy of the neutron-deficient N=50 nucleus Rh-95
- 2014
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In: Physical Review C. Nuclear Physics. - 0556-2813 .- 1089-490X. ; 89:4, s. 044310-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The neutron-deficient semimagic (neutron number N = 50) Rh-95 nucleus has been produced at high spins using the projectile-target system Ca-40 + Ni-58 at 125 MeV beam energy. The gamma-decays of levels populated by the 3p fusion evaporation reaction channel were studied using gamma-gamma coincidences, and 20 new gamma-ray transitions involving 15 new positive-and negative-parity states were observed. Spin and parity for many of the excited states were firmly deduced for the first time using the combined directional angular correlation and direction-polarization techniques. The observed structures are discussed within the framework of large-scale shell model calculations. E1 transition strengths were deduced and used together with the results of the shell model calculations to study the contribution of different particle-hole configurations, in particular for analyzing contributions from core-excited configurations.
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