.
A fast-timing method to determine lifetimes of nuclear states in the sub-nanosecond domain is presented. It is based on in-beam measurements of triple-gamma coincidences in heavy-ion ...fusion-evaporation reactions, performed with an array of HPGe and LaBr
3
:Ce detectors. The high-energy resolution HPGe detectors are used to define de-exciting cascades, while the fast LaBr
3
:Ce detectors are used to determine the decay time spectra of selected levels fed by these cascades. A special method to treat the time information of an array of fast detectors is employed in order to fully use the efficiency of the array. Two measurements are presented to illustrate the method: a re-determination of the known half-life
ns of the
keV,
level in
107
Cd (test experiment), and the determination of a half-life
ps for the
keV,
state of
199
Tl .
The systematics of the experimental data of alpha-decay fine structure in the even-even nuclei above lead are examined. The representation of relative branching ratios (b.r.) and hindrance factors ...(HF) for the 2+1, 4+1, and 6+1 states within the valence correlation schemes (as a function of NpNn or P = NpNn/(Np + Nn)) proves useful, as it provides smooth trajectories that can be discussed in parallel with the development of collectivity. It is shown that practically all recent theoretical calculations are not able to account for some of the most conspicuous features presented by the evolution of the branching ratios and hindrance factors. These are: a practically exponential increase of the b.r.'s and HF's for the 2+1 state of collective nuclei (above P 4.0); a pronounced maximum around P 7.5 of the same quantities for the 4+1 state, a region where these nuclei have usually been considered as well deformed rotors; and the decrease of these quantities for the 6+1 state in the interval of P from 4.0 to about 8.0. The observed evolutions of these fine structure quantities do not appear to be correlated with different structure indicators deduced from the low-lying level schemes, with the exception of the HF of the 2+ state which is reasonably well correlated with a parameter that describes the nuclear rigidity, indicating the necessity of going beyond the rigid rotor description of the nuclei considered in this study. It is also necessary that a simultaneous description of both electromagnetic transitions and alpha decay fine structure data is achieved by the theoretical calculations.
A general overview is given on the phenomenological methods used to describe the level densities in nuclei. Two well-known two-parameter formulas of level densities, the Back-Shifted Fermi Gas (BSFG) ...model and the Constant Temperature (CT) model, were used. A common ingredient of both is the spin distribution function, which contains in Ericsons's parametrization the spin-cutoff parameter σ. A realistic description of the parameters of both spin distribution function and the two level density models has been obtained by fitting the experimental data of 310 nuclei between 18F and 251Cf, consisting of the complete level schemes at low excitation energies and the s-wave neutron resonance spacings at the neutron binding energy. We determine a simple formula for the spin-cutoff parameter as a function of mass number and excitation energy. Also, an even-odd spin staggering in the spin distribution of the even-even nuclei was observed, and described with a simple formula. Using this newly defined spin distribution function, an empirical set of parameters of the BSFG and CT models was determined by fitting both the low-energy levels and the neutron resonance spacings. For these parameters, simple formulas were proposed that involve only quantities available from the mass tables, and allow reasonable estimations of the level density parameters for nuclei far from stability. Both the BSFG and CT models describe equally well the level densities at energies up to at least the neutron binding energy. Finally, we discuss recent experimental evidence that the CT model is the more correct description of the nuclei in the low-excitation energy (pairing) regime.
The lifetimes of eight lower spin levels of the yrast band in 168Yb, populated via the 154Sm(18O,4n) and 124Sn(48Ca,4n) reactions, were measured, six of them for the first time, by means of the ...recoil-distance Doppler-shift method. Two versions of the differential decay-curve method have been applied for the data analysis resulting in a very good agreement. The reduced transition probabilities indicate some reduction of the collectivity for states just above the 61+ level, i.e. well below the band-crossing. The reasons of this effect are discussed in terms of an interaction between the ground-state band and yet unknown part of the two-quasiparticle (ν13/2) spin-aligned S-band by invoking the shell-structure or alternatively/additionally, as changes in the internal structure/shape induced by the rotation.
This paper describes present capabilities of the new Target Preparation Laboratory constructed at Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest-Magurele, Romania. ...Self-supporting or backed targets are produced in the laboratory, using thermal evaporation, electron-gun evaporation, sputtering or cold rolling techniques. At present, it is possible to prepare layers with a wide range of thicknesses from several tens of µg/cm
2
to several hundreds of mg/cm
2
. As an example, we briefly describe a
40
Ca target preparation.
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