Recent results on heavy-ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay at INFN-LNS

2019

Abstract The NUMEN project aims at accessing experimentally driven information on Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ). In this view measurements of Heavy Ion (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reaction cross sections are performed with high-accuracy. In particular, the (18O,18Ne) and (20Ne,20O) reactions are used as tools for β+β+ and β-β- decays, respectively. In the experiments, performed at INFN - Laboratory Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania, the beams are accelerated by the Superconducting Cyclotron (CS) and the reaction ejectiles are detected the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer. The measured cross sections are challe…

Local suppression of collectivity in theN=80isotones at theZ=58subshell closure

2013

) transition strengths [1] and thenumber of nucleons in the valence shell. The global behaviorof these quantities between the major shells as a function ofthe nucleon number is well understood in the frameworks ofboth collective and microscopic models. One could expect thatthese general trends in the collective properties between themajorshellsaremodulated bythesubshellstructure.However,it is usually thought that the pairing correlations with anenergy scale of about 2 MeV, smear out and dissolve thesubshell structure as long as the separation energies betweenthe subshells are only about a few hundred keV.The recently observed evolution of the isovectorquadrupole-collective valence-shell exc…

β decay of Ni75 and the systematics of the low-lying level structure of neutron-rich odd- A Cu isotopes

2020

Background: Detailed spectroscopy of neutron-rich odd-A Cu isotopes is of great importance for studying the shell evolution in the region of Ni78. While there is experimental information on excited states in Cu69−73,77,79 isotopes, the information concerning Cu75 is very limited. Purpose: Experimentally observed single-particle, core-coupling, and proton-hole intruder states in Cu75, will complete the systematics of these states in the chain of isotopes. Method: Excited states in Cu75 were populated in the β decay of Ni75 isotopes. The Ni nuclei were produced by the in-flight fission of U238 projectiles, and were separated, identified, and implanted in a highly segmented Si detector array f…

Coulomb Excitation of Proton-rich N=80 Isotones at HIE-ISOLDE

2020

Abstract A projectile Coulomb-excitation experiment was performed at the radioactive ion beam facility HIE-ISOLDE at CERN. The radioactive 140Nd and 142Sm ions were post accelerated to the energy of 4.62 MeV/A and impinged on a 1.45 mg/cm2-thin 208Pb target. The γ rays depopulating the Coulomb-excited states were recorded by the HPGe-array MINIBALL. The scattered charged particles were detected by a double-sided silicon strip detector in forward direction. Experimental γ-ray intensities were used for the determination of electromagnetic transition matrix elements. Preliminary results for the reduced transition strength of the B ( M 1 ; 2 3 + → 2 1 + ) = 0.35 ( 19 ) μ N 2 of 140Nd and a firs…

Collective 2$^{+1}$ excitations in$^{206}$Po and$^{208,210}$Rn

2016

In the present study, $B(E2; 2^{+}_{1}\rightarrow 0^{+}_{1})$ values have been measured in the 208,210Rn and 206Po nuclei through Coulomb excitation of re-accelerated radioactive beams in inverse kinematics at CERN-ISOLDE. These nuclei have been proposed to lie in, or at the boundary of the region where the seniority scheme should persist. However, contributions from collective excitations are likely to be present when moving away from the N=126 closed shell. Such an effect is confirmed by the observed increased collectivity of the $2^{+}_{1}\rightarrow 0^{+}_{1}$ transitions. Experimental results have been interpreted with the aid of theoretical studies carried out within the BCS-based QRP…

Shell evolution of $N=40$ isotones towards $^{60}$Ca: First spectroscopy of $^{62}$Ti

2020

7 pags., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Recent results on heavy-ion direct reactions of interest for 0νββ decay at INFN - LNS

2020

Abstract Neutrinoless double beta decay of nuclei, if observed, would have important implications on fundamental physics. In particular it would give access to the effective neutrino mass. In order to extract such information from 0νββ decay half-life measurements, the knowledge of the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) is of utmost importance. In this context the NUMEN and the NURE projects aim to extract information on the NME by measuring cross sections of Double Charge Exchange reactions in selected systems which are expected to spontaneously decay via 0νββ. In this work an overview of the experimental challenges that NUMEN is facing in order to perform the experiments with accelerated beams…

Coulomb excitation of re-accelerated 208Rn and 206Po beams

2013

In the present study, B( E2; 2(+)-> 0(+) ) values have been measured in the Rn-208 and Po-206 nuclei through Coulomb excitation of re-accelerated radioactive beams in inverse kinematics at CERN-ISOLDE. The resulting B(E2; 2(+)-> 0(+)) in 208Rn is similar to 0.08 e(2)b(2). These nuclei lie in, or at the boundary of the region where seniority scheme should persist. However, contributions from collective excitations may be present when moving away from the N = 126 shell closure. To date, surprisingly little is known of the transition probabilities between the low-spin states in this region.

New Results from the NUMEN Project

2018

International audience; NUMEN aims at accessing experimentally driven information on Nuclear Matrix Elements (NME) involved in the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), by high-accuracy measurements of the cross sections of Heavy Ion (HI) induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. First evidence about the possibility to get quantitative information about NME from experiments is found for the (^18O,^18Ne) and (^20Ne,^20O) reactions. Moreover, to infer the neutrino average masses from the possible measurement of the half-life of 0νββ decay, the knowledge of the NME is a crucial aspect. The key tools for this project are the high resolution Superconducting Cyclotron beam…

Role of Chiral Two-Body Currents in Li6 Magnetic Properties in Light of a New Precision Measurement with the Relative Self-Absorption Technique

2021

A direct measurement of the decay width of the excited ${0}_{1}^{+}$ state of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ using the relative self-absorption technique is reported. Our value of ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma},{0}_{1}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{1}_{1}^{+}}=8.17(14{)}_{\mathrm{stat}.}(11{)}_{\mathrm{syst}.}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ provides sufficiently low experimental uncertainties to test modern theories of nuclear forces. The corresponding transition rate is compared to the results of ab initio calculations based on chiral effective field theory that take into account contributions to the magnetic dipole operator beyond leading order. This enables a precision test of the im…

Restoring the valence-shell stabilization in Nd 140

2020

A projectile Coulomb-excitation experiment was performed at the radioactive-ion beam facility HIE-ISOLDE at CERN to obtain E2 and M1 transition matrix elements of Nd-140 using the multistep Coulomb-excitation code GOSIA. The absolute M1 strengths, B(M1; 2(2)(-) -> 2(1)(+)) = 0.033(8)mu(2)(N), B(M1 ; 2(3)(+) -> 2(1)(+)) = 0.26(-0.10)(+0.11)mu(2)(N), and B(M1; 2(4)+ -> 2(1)(+)) <0.04 mu(2)(N) identify the 2(3)(+) state as the main fragment of the one-quadrupole-phonon proton-neutron mixed-symmetry state of Nd-140. The degree of F-spin mixing in Nd-140 was quantified with the determination of the mixing matrix element VF-mix <7(-7)(-13) keV. Peer reviewed

Search for Isovector Valence-Shell Excitations in 140 Nd and 142 Sm via Coulomb excitation reactions of radioactive ion beams

2018

Projectile Coulomb excitation experiments were performed at HIE-ISOLDE at CERN with the radioactive ion beams of 140Nd and 142Sm. Ions with an energy of 4:62 MeV/A were impinging on a 1.45 mg/cm2 thick 208Pb target. The γ-rays depopulating the Coulomb-excited states were recorded by the HPGe-array MINIBALL and scattered particles were detected by a double-sided silicon strip detector. Experimental intensities were used for the determination of electromagnetic transition matrix elements. A preliminary result of the B(M1; 2+3 → 2+1) of 140Nd and an upper limit for the case of 142Sm are revealing the main fragments of the proton-neutron mixed-symmetry 2+1;ms states.

International workshop on next generation gamma-ray source

2022

Journal of physics / G 49(1), 010502 (2022). doi:10.1088/1361-6471/ac2827

Electromagnetic transition rates in theN=80nucleus58138Ce

2013

The half-life of the Iπ=6+ yrast state at Ex=2294 keV in 138Ce has been measured as T1/2=880(19) ps using the fast-timing γ-ray coincidence method with a mixed LaBr3(Ce)-HPGe array. The excited states in 138Ce have been populated by the 130Te(12C,4n) fusion-evaporation reaction at an incident beam energy of 56 MeV. The extracted B(E2;61+→41+)=0.101(24) W.u. value is compared with the predictions of truncated basis shell model calculations and with the systematics of the region. This shows an anomalous behavior compared to the neighboring isotonic and isotopic chains. Half-lives for the yrast 5-, 11+ and 14+ states in 138Ce have also been determined in this work.

Recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for 0νββ decay

2019

An updated overview of recent results on Heavy-Ion induced reactions of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay is reported in the framework of the NUMEN project. The NUMEN idea is to study heavy-ion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions with the aim to get information on the nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. Moreover, to infer the neutrino average masses from the possible measurement of the half- life of 0νββ decay, the knowledge of the nuclear matrix elements is a crucial aspect. Uma visão geral atualizada dos resultados recentes sobre reações induzidas por íons pesados ​​de interesse para o decaimento beta duplo sem neutrinos é relatada na es…

Persistence of the Z=28 shell gap in A=75 isobars: Identification of a possible (1/2−) μs isomer in Co75 and β decay to Ni75

2021

Background: The evolution of shell structure around doubly-magic exotic nuclei is of great interest in nuclear physics and astrophysics. In the `south-west' region of $^{78}$Ni, the development of deformation might trigger a major shift in our understanding of explosive nucleosynthesis. To this end, new spectroscopic information on key close-lying nuclei is very valuable. Purpose: We intend to measure the isomeric and $\beta$ decay of $^{75}$Co, with one proton- and two neutron-holes relative to $^{78}$Ni, to access new nuclear structure information in $^{75}$Co and its $\beta$-decay daughters $^{75}$Ni and $^{74}$Ni. Methods: The nucleus $^{75}$Co is produced in relativistic in-flight fiss…

Precision Lifetime Measurements Using LaBr3 Detectors With Stable and Radioactive Beams

2013

A range of high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements have been carried out using arrays which include a number of Cerium-doped Lanthanum-Tribromide (LrBr3 (Ce)) scintillation detectors used in conjunction with high-resolution hyper-pure germanium detectors. Examples of the spectral and temporal responses of such set-ups, using both standard point radioactive sources 152 Eu and 56 Co, and in-beam fusionevaporation reaction experiments for precision measurements of nuclear excited states in 34 P and 138 Ce are presented. The current and future use of such arrays at existing (EURICA at RIKEN) and future (NUSTAR at FAIR) secondary radioactive beam facilities for precision measurements…

Electromagnetic Transition Rate Measurements in theN=80 Isotone,138Ce

2012

A study of intrinsic state halflife measurements in the N=80 nucleus 138Ce has been made using the 130Te(12C,4n)138Ce fusion evaporation reaction at beam energy of 56 MeV. The fast-timing gamma-ray coincidence method was used with a mixed LaBr3(Ce)-HPGe array to establish the lifetimes of the yrast 6+ state at 2294 keV, the Iπ=5− state at 2218 keV, the Iπ=11+ state at 3943 keV and the 14+ state at that at 5312 keV, all of which are in the sub nanosecond regime. Reduced transition probabilities have been calculated for the electromagnetic decays from these states.

$^{78}$Ni revealed as a doubly magic stronghold against nuclear deformation

2019

Nuclear magic numbers, which emerge from the strong nuclear force based on quantum chromodynamics, correspond to fully occupied energy shells of protons, or neutrons inside atomic nuclei. Doubly magic nuclei, with magic numbers for both protons and neutrons, are spherical and extremely rare across the nuclear landscape. While the sequence of magic numbers is well established for stable nuclei, evidence reveals modifications for nuclei with a large proton-to-neutron asymmetry. Here, we provide the first spectroscopic study of the doubly magic nucleus $^{78}$Ni, fourteen neutrons beyond the last stable nickel isotope. We provide direct evidence for its doubly magic nature, which is also predi…

Evolution of quadrupole collectivity in N=80 isotones toward the Z=64 subshell gap: The B(E2;2+1→0+1) value of 142Sm

2015

It was shown that the evolution of the B(E2; 2+ 1 → 0+ 1 ) values in N = 80 isotones from Te to Nd is affected by the underlying subshell structure. This manifests itself in the observation of the local suppression of the B(E2) value at Z = 58 with respect to the neighboring nuclei 136Ba and 140Nd. To investigate this shell sensitivity toward the Z = 64 subshell gap, the B(E2; 2+ 1 → 0+ 1 ) value of the unstable nucleus 142Sm was measured utilizing the projectile Coulomb excitation technique. The radioactive ion beam (RIB) experiment was performed at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The B(E2) value of 32 (4) W.u. reflects the impact of the π(1g7/2 2d5/2) subshell closure at Z = 64 with resp…

Majorana parameters of the interacting boson model of nuclear structure and their implication for 0νββ decay

2021

Decay studies in the A∼225 Po-Fr region from the DESPEC campaign at GSI in 2021

2022

The HISPEC-DESPEC collaboration aims at investigating the struc-ture of exotic nuclei formed in fragmentation reactions with decay spectroscopymeasurements, as part of the FAIR Phase-0 campaign at GSI. This paper reportson first results of an experiment performed in spring 2021, with a focus on beta-decaystudies in the Po-Fr nuclei in the 220 < A <230 island of octupole deformationexploiting the DESPEC setup. Ion-beta correlations and fast-timing techniques arebeing employed, giving an insight into this difficult-to-reach region. peerReviewed

First candidates for γ vibrational bands built on the [505]11/2⁻ neutron orbital in odd-A Dy isotopes

2020

Rotational structures have been measured using the Jurogam II and GAMMASPHERE arrays at low spin following the 155Gd(α,2n)157Dy and 148Nd(12C,5n)155Dy reactions at 25 and 65 MeV, respectively. We report high-K bands, which are conjectured to be the first candidates of a Kπ=2+γ vibrational band, built on the [505]11/2− neutron orbital, in both odd-A155,157Dy isotopes. The coupling of the first excited K=0+ states or the so-called β vibrational bands at 661 and 676 keV in 154Dy and 156Dy to the [505]11/2− orbital, to produce a Kπ=11/2− band, was not observed in both 155Dy and 157Dy, respectively. The implication of these findings on the interpretation of the first excited 0+ states in the cor…

Nature of seniority symmetry breaking in the semimagic nucleus $^{94}Ru$

2022

Physical review / C 105(3), L031304 (2022). doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.105.L031304

First candidates for $\gamma$ vibrational bands built on the $[505]11/{2}^{-}$ neutron orbital in odd-$A$ Dy isotopes

2020

Rotational structures have been measured using the Jurogam II and GAMMASPHERE arrays at low spin following the 155Gd({\alpha},2n)157Dy and 148Nd(12C, 5n)155Dy reactions at 25 and 65 MeV, respectively. We report high-K bands, which are conjectured to be the first candidates of a K{\pi}= 2+ {\gamma} vibrational band, built on the [505]11/2- neutron orbital, in both odd-A 155, 157Dy isotopes. The coupling of the first excited K=0+ states or the so-called \b{eta} vibrational bands at 661 and 676 keV in 154Dy and 156Dy to the [505]11/2- orbital, to produce a K{\pi}=11/2- band, was not observed in both 155Dy and 157Dy, respectively. The implication of these findings on the interpretation of the f…

Local suppression of collectivity in the N=80 isotones at the Z=58 subshell closure

2013

Background: Recent data on N=80 isotones have suggested that the proton π(1g7/2) subshell closure at Z=58 has an impact on the properties of low-lying collective states. Purpose: Knowledge of the B(E2;2+1→0+1) value of 140Nd is needed in order to test this conjecture. Method: The unstable, neutron-rich nucleus 140Nd was investigated via projectile Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility with the MINIBALL spectrometer. Results: The B(E2) value of 33(2) W.u. expands the N=80 systematics beyond the Z=58 subshell closure. Conclusions: The measurement demonstrates that the reduced collectivity of 138Ce is a local effect possibly due to the Z=58 subshell closure and requests refined theoret…

Fast-timing Measurement in \(^{96}\)Pd: Improved Accuracy for the Lifetime of the \(4_1^{+}\) State

2023

Direct lifetime measurements via γ–γ coincidences using the FATIMA fast-timing LaBr3(Ce) array were performed for the excited states below previously reported isomers. In the N = 50 semi-magic 96Pd nucleus, lifetimes below the I π = 8+ seniority isomer were addressed as a benchmark for further analysis. The results for the I π = 2+ and 4 + states confirm the published values. Increased accuracy for the lifetime value was achieved for the 4 + state. peerReviewed