0000000000309060
AUTHOR
Stephan Fritzsche
Nuclear mean-square charge radii of63,64,66,68−82Ga nuclei: No anomalous behavior atN=32
Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the ${}^{63,64,66,68\ensuremath{-}82}$Ga isotopes with neutron numbers from $N=32$ to $N=51$. These measurements were carried out at the ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility at CERN. Here we present the nuclear mean-square charge radii extracted from the isotope shifts and, for the lighter isotopes, new spin and moment values. New ground-state nuclear spin and moments were extracted from the hyperfine spectra of ${}^{63,70}$Ga, measured on an atomic transition in the neutral atom. The ground-state spin of ${}^{63}$Ga is determined to be $I=3/2$. Analysis of the trend in the change in mean-square charge radii of the gallium isotopes demonstrates …
Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy
Until recently, ground-state nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei could only be inferred from nuclear spectroscopy, where model assumptions are required. Laser spectroscopy in combination with modern atomic structure calculations is now able to probe these moments directly, in a comprehensive and nuclear-model-independent way. Here we report on unique access to the differential mean-square charge radii of ^{252,253,254}No, and therefore to changes in nuclear size and shape. State-of-the-art nuclear density functional calculations describe well the changes in nuclear charge radii in the region of the heavy actinides, indicating an appreciable central depression in the deformed proton densi…
First Observation of Atomic Levels for the Element Fermium (Z=100)
The atomic level structure of the element fermium was investigated for the first time using a sample of $2.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ atoms of the isotope $^{255}\mathrm{F}\mathrm{m}$ with a half-life of 20.1 h. The atoms were evaporated from a filament and stored in the argon buffer gas of an optical cell. Atomic levels were sought by the method of resonance ionization spectroscopy using an excimer-dye-laser combination. Two atomic levels were found at wave numbers $(25\text{ }099.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2)$ and $(25\text{ }111.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2)\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Partial transition rates to the $5{f}^{12}7{s}…
Early onset of deformation in the neutron-deficient polonium isotopes
In-source laser spectroscopy has been performed at CERN-ISOLDE with the RILIS laser ion source on Po-191-204,Po-206,Po-208-211,Po-216,Po-218. New information on the beta decay of Po-199 were extracted in the process, challenging previous results. Large-scale atomic calculations were performed to extract the changes in the mean-square charge radius delta from the isotope shifts. The delta for the even-A isotopes reveal a large deviation from the spherical droplet model for N < 116.
First Ionization Potentials of Fm, Md, No, and Lr
We report the first ionization potentials (IP1) of the heavy actinides, fermium (Fm, atomic number Z = 100), mendelevium (Md, Z = 101), nobelium (No, Z = 102), and lawrencium (Lr, Z = 103), determined using a method based on a surface ionization process coupled to an online mass separation technique in an atom-at-a-time regime. The measured IP1 values agree well with those predicted by state-of-the-art relativistic calculations performed alongside the present measurements. Similar to the well-established behavior for the lanthanides, the IP1 values of the heavy actinides up to No increase with filling up the 5f orbital, while that of Lr is the lowest among the actinides. These results clear…
Measurement of the first ionization potential of astatine by laser ionization spectroscopy
The radioactive element astatine exists only in trace amounts in nature. Its properties can therefore only be explored by study of the minute quantities of artificially produced isotopes or by performing theoretical calculations. One of the most important properties influencing the chemical behaviour is the energy required to remove one electron from the valence shell, referred to as the ionization potential. Here we use laser spectroscopy to probe the optical spectrum of astatine near the ionization threshold. The observed series of Rydberg states enabled the first determination of the ionization potential of the astatine atom, 9.31751(8) eV. New ab initio calculations are performed to sup…
First Determination of the Ionization Potential of Actinium and First Observation of Optical Transitions in Ferminm
For the determination of the first ionization potential of actinium, 227Ac was electrodeposited on a Ta backing and covered with ~1 μm Zr. From this filament, Ac atoms were evaporated at ≥ 1250 °C. By resonant excitation with UV light of 388.67 nm and subsequent excitation with light of ca. 568 nm, Ac was ionized in an external electrical field. By determining the ionization thresholds as a function of the electrical field strength and by extrapolation to zero field strength, the first ionization potential of 43398(3) cm−1 = 5.3807(3) eV was measured.About 1 ng of 255Fm, half life 20.1 h, was prepared at ORNL by milking from 255Es produced in the High Flux Isotope Reactor and shipped to Mai…
Resonance ionization spectroscopy of fermium (Z=100)
Laser spectroscopy has been applied for the first time to measure resonant transition frequencies of fermium (Zs 100). A number of 2.7=10 atoms was electrodeposited on a Ta filament and covered with a 1 mm Ti layer. Fm 10
Proton-neutron pairing correlations in the self-conjugate nucleus 42Sc
Collinear laser spectroscopy of the N=Z=21 self-conjugate nucleus 42Sc has been performed at the JYFL IGISOL IV facility in order to determine the change in nuclear mean-square charge radius between the Iπ=0+ ground state and the Iπ=7+ isomer via the measurement of the 42g,42mSc isomer shift. New multi-configurational Dirac-Fock calculations for the atomic mass shift and field shift factors have enabled a recalibration of the charge radii of the 42−46Sc isotopes which were measured previously. While consistent with the treatment of proton-neutron, proton-proton and neutron-neutron pairing on an equal footing, the reduction in size for the isomer is observed to be of a significantly larger m…
Hyperfine structure study of Tc97,98,99 in a new laser ion source for high-resolution laser spectroscopy
Using a novel concept for efficient laser spectroscopy, we investigated the hyperfine splittings of three different atomic transitions in the long-lived isotopes $^{97\ensuremath{-}99}\mathrm{Tc}$. Despite the refractory character of the element technetium, sample sizes as low as ${10}^{11}$ atoms were sufficient to achieve excellent signal-to-noise ratios at a spectroscopic linewidth of less than 100 MHz. The obtained spectra were analyzed in detail, which results in a very good consistency for the extracted hyperfine parameters from the different transitions. The presented measurements provide the first hyperfine structure data for the isotopes $^{97,98}\mathrm{Tc}$ from which, in combina…
Ground state properties of manganese isotopes across the N=28 shell closure
Abstract The first optical study of the N = 28 shell closure in manganese is reported. Mean-square charge radii and quadrupole moments, obtained for ground and isomeric states in 50–56 Mn, are extracted using new calculations of atomic factors. The charge radii show a well defined shell closure at the magic number. The behaviour of the charge radii is strikingly different to that of the neutron separation energies where no shell effect can be observed. The nuclear parameters can be successfully described by large scale shell model calculations using the GXPF1A interaction.
Isotope shifts from collinear laser spectroscopy of doubly charged yttrium isotopes
Collinear laser spectroscopy has been performed on doubly charged ions of radioactive yttrium in order to study the isotope shifts of the 294.6-nm $5s\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{2}S_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5p\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{2}P_{1/2}$ line. The potential of such an alkali-metal-like transition to improve the reliability of atomic-field-shift and mass-shift factor calculations, and hence the extraction of nuclear mean-square radii, is discussed. Production of yttrium ion beams for such studies is available at the IGISOL IV Accelerator Laboratory, Jyv\"askyl\"a, Finland. This newly recommissioned facility is described here in relation to the on-line study of accelerator-p…
Towards high-resolution laser ionization spectroscopy of the heaviest elements in supersonic gas jet expansion
Resonant laser ionization and spectroscopy are widely used techniques at radioactive ion beam facilities to produce pure beams of exotic nuclei and measure the shape, size, spin and electromagnetic multipole moments of these nuclei. However, in such measurements it is difficult to combine a high efficiency with a high spectral resolution. Here we demonstrate the on-line application of atomic laser ionization spectroscopy in a supersonic gas jet, a technique suited for high-precision studies of the ground- and isomeric-state properties of nuclei located at the extremes of stability. The technique is characterized in a measurement on actinium isotopes around the N=126 neutron shell closure. A…
In-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy of actinium isotopes near the N=126 closed shell
The in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) techniquewas applied on the $^{212–215}$Ac isotopes, produced at the Leuven Isotope Separator On-Line (LISOL) facility by using the in-gas-cell and the in-gas-jet methods. The first application under on-line conditions of the in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy method showed a superior performance in terms of selectivity, spectral resolution, and efficiency in comparison with the in-gas-cell method. Following the analysis of both experiments, the magnetic-dipole moments for the $^{212–215}$Ac isotopes, electric-quadrupole moments and nuclear spins for the $^{214,215}$Ac isotopes are presented and discussed. A good agreement is obtained with lar…
Changes in nuclear structure along the Mn isotopic chain studied via charge radii
The hyperfine spectra of $^{51,53-64}$Mn were measured in two experimental runs using collinear laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE, CERN. Laser spectroscopy was performed on the atomic $3d^5\ 4s^2\ ^{6}\text{S}_{5/2}\rightarrow 3d^5\ 4s4p\ ^{6}\text{P}_{3/2}$ and ionic $3d^5\ 4s\ ^{5}\text{S}_2 \rightarrow 3d^5\ 4p\ ^{5}\text{P}_3$ transitions, yielding two sets of isotope shifts. The mass and field shift factors for both transitions have been calculated in the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock framework and were combined with a King plot analysis in order to obtain a consistent set of mean-square charge radii which, together with earlier work on neutron-deficient Mn, allow the study of nuclear struc…
Discovery of a long-lived low-lying isomeric state in Ga-80
Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the $^{80}\mathrm{Ga}$ isotope at ISOLDE, CERN. A low-lying isomeric state with a half-life much greater than $200$ ms was discovered. The nuclear spins and moments of the ground and isomeric states and the isomer shift are discussed. Probable spins and parities are assigned to both long-lived states (${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${6}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) deduced from a comparison of the measured moments to shell-model calculations.
Cu charge radii reveal a weak sub-shell effect at N=40
Collinear laser spectroscopy on Cu58-75 isotopes was performed at the CERN-ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility. In this paper we report on the isotope shifts obtained from these measurements. State-of-the-art atomic physics calculations have been undertaken in order to determine the changes in mean-square charge radii δ(r2)A,A′ from the observed isotope shifts. A local minimum is observed in these radii differences at N=40, providing evidence for a weak N=40 sub-shell effect. However, comparison of δ(r2)A,A′ with a droplet model prediction including static deformation deduced from the spectroscopic quadrupole moments, points to the persistence of correlations at N=40.
Nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic moments of radioactive scandium isotopes and isomers
International audience; Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments with the Sc + transition 3d4s 3 D 2 → 3d4p 3 F 3 at λ = 363.1 nm were performed on the 42−46 Sc isotopic chain using an ion guide isotope separator with a cooler-buncher. Nuclear magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments as well as isotope shifts were determined from the hyperfine structure for five ground states and two isomers. Extensive multi-configurational Dirac-Fock calculations were performed in order to evaluate the specific mass-shift, M SMS, and field-shift, F, parameters which allowed evaluation of the charge radii trend of the Sc isotopic sequence. The charge radii obtained show systematics more like the Ti r…
Charge radii and electromagnetic moments of At195–211
Hyperfine-structure parameters and isotope shifts of At195-211 have been measured for the first time at CERN-ISOLDE, using the in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy method. The hyperfine structures of isotopes were recorded using a triad of experimental techniques for monitoring the photo-ion current. The Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer, in connection with a high-resolution electron multiplier, was used as an ion-counting setup for isotopes that either were affected by strong isobaric contamination or possessed a long half-life; the ISOLDE Faraday cups were used for cases with high-intensity beams; and the Windmill decay station was used for short-lived, predominantl…
Charge radii of odd-A 191–211Po isotopes
Isotope shifts have been measured for the odd-A polonium isotopes 191–211Po and changes in the nuclear mean square charge radii δr2 have been deduced. The measurements were performed at CERN-ISOLDE using the in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy technique. The combined analysis of these data and our recent results for even-A polonium isotopes indicates an onset of deformation already at 197,198Po, when going away from stability. This is significantly earlier than was suggested by previous theoretical and experimental studies of the polonium isotopes. Moreover and in contrast to the mercury isotopes, where a strong odd–even staggering of the charge radii of the ground states was observ…