Super-Allowed β Decay of23Mg Studied with a High-Precision Germanium Detector

Gamow-Teller unit cross sections for (t,He3) and (He3,t) reactions

The proportionality between differential cross sections at vanishing linear momentum transfer and Gamow-Teller transition strength, expressed in terms of the unit cross section (${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}}_{\mathit{GT}}$), was studied as a function of target mass number for ($t$,$^{3}\mathrm{He}$) and ($^{3}\mathrm{He}$,$t$) reactions at $115A$ MeV and $140A$ MeV, respectively. Existing ($^{3}\mathrm{He}$,$t$) and ($t$,$^{3}\mathrm{He}$) data on targets with mass number $12\ensuremath{\leqslant}A\ensuremath{\leqslant}120$ were complemented with new and reevaluated ($t$,$^{3}\mathrm{He}$) data on proton, deuteron, $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$, and $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ tar…

High-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy: a versatile tool for nuclear β-decay studies at TRIUMF-ISAC

High-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy is essential to fully exploit the unique, high-quality beams available at the next generation of radioactive ion beam facilities such as the TRIUMF isotope separator and accelerator (ISAC). The 8π spectrometer, which consists of 20 Compton-suppressed HPGe detectors, has recently been reconfigured for a vigorous research programme in weak interaction and nuclear structure physics. With the addition of a variety of ancillary detectors it has become the world's most powerful device dedicated to β-decay studies. This paper provides a brief overview of the apparatus and highlights from recent experiments.

First Evidence of Axial Shape Asymmetry and Configuration Coexistence in $^{74}$Zn: Suggestion for a Northern Extension of the $N=40$ Island of Inversion

International audience; The excited states of $N=44$$^{74}$Zn were investigated via $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy following $^{74}$Cu $\beta$ decay. By exploiting $\gamma$-$\gamma$ angular correlation analysis, the $2_2^+$, $3_1^+$, $0_2^+$ and $2_3^+$ states in $^{74}$Zn were firmly established. The $\gamma$-ray branching and $E2/M1$ mixing ratios for transitions de-exciting the $2_2^+$, $3_1^+$ and $2_3^+$ states were measured, allowing for the extraction of relative $B(E2)$ values. In particular, the $2_3^+ \to 0_2^+$ and $2_3^+ \to 4_1^+$ transitions were observed for the first time. The results show excellent agreement with new microscopic large-scale shell-model calculations, and are disc…

TheNd150(He3,t) andSm150(t,He3) reactions with applications toββdecay ofNd150

The {sup 150}Nd({sup 3}He,t) reaction at 140 MeV/u and {sup 150}Sm(t,{sup 3}He) reaction at 115 MeV/u were measured, populating excited states in {sup 150}Pm. The transitions studied populate intermediate states of importance for the (neutrinoless) {beta}{beta} decay of {sup 150}Nd to {sup 150}Sm. Monopole and dipole contributions to the measured excitation-energy spectra were extracted by using multipole decomposition analyses. The experimental results were compared with theoretical calculations obtained within the framework of the quasiparticle random-phase approximation, which is one of the main methods employed for estimating the half-life of the neutrinoless {beta}{beta} decay (0{nu}{b…

Improved measurement of the 02+→01+ E0 transition strength for 72Se using the SPICE spectrometer

The selenium isotopes lie at the heart of a tumultuous region of the nuclear chart where shape coexistence effects grapple with neutron-proton pairing correlations, triaxiality, and the impending proton drip line. In this work, a study of 72Se by internal conversion electron and γ-ray spectroscopy was undertaken with the SPICE and TIGRESS arrays. New measurements of the branching ratio and lifetime of the 02+ state were performed, yielding a determination of ρ2(E0;02+→01+)=29(3) milliunits. Two-state mixing calculations were performed that highlighted the importance of interpretation of such E0 strength values in the context of shape coexistence. peerReviewed

Spectroscopy of 13B via the 13C(t,3He) reaction at 115 AMeV

Gamow-Teller and dipole transitions to final states in 13B were studied via the 13C(t,3He) reaction at Et = 115 AMeV. Besides the strong Gamow-Teller transition to the 13B ground state, a weaker Gamow-Teller transition to a state at 3.6 MeV was found. This state was assigned a spin-parity of 3/2- by comparison with shell-model calculations using the WBP and WBT interactions which were modified to allow for mixing between nhw and (n+2)hw configurations. This assignment agrees with a recent result from a lifetime measurement of excited states in 13B. The shell-model calculations also explained the relatively large spectroscopic strength measured for a low-lying 1/2+ state at 4.83 MeV in 13B. …

Spectroscopy ofB13via theC13(t,He3)reaction at115AMeV

Gamow-Teller and dipole transitions to final states in $^{13}\mathrm{B}$ were studied via the $^{13}\mathrm{C}(t,^{3}\mathrm{He})$ reaction at ${E}_{t}=115A$ MeV. In addition to the strong Gamow-Teller transition to the $^{13}\mathrm{B}$ ground state, a weaker Gamow-Teller transition to a state at 3.6 MeV was found. This state was assigned a spin-parity of $3/{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ by comparison with shell-model calculations using the WBP and WBT interactions which were modified to allow for mixing between $n\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}$ and $(n+2)\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}$ configurations. This assignment agrees with a recent result from a lifetime measurement of excited…

The $^{150}$Nd($^3$He,$t$) and $^{150}$Sm($t$,$^3$He) reactions with applications to $\beta\beta$ decay of $^{150}$Nd

The $^{150}$Nd($^3$He,$t$) reaction at 140 MeV/u and $^{150}$Sm($t$,$^3$He) reaction at 115 MeV/u were measured, populating excited states in $^{150}$Pm. The transitions studied populate intermediate states of importance for the (neutrinoless) $\beta\beta$ decay of $^{150}$Nd to $^{150}$Sm. Monopole and dipole contributions to the measured excitation-energy spectra were extracted by using multipole decomposition analyses. The experimental results were compared with theoretical calculations obtained within the framework of Quasiparticle Random-Phase Approximation (QRPA), which is one of the main methods employed for estimating the half-life of the neutrinoless $\beta\beta$ decay ($0\nu\beta\…