Here we report on the measurements of the gamma -ray strength functions and nuclear level densities of 112,114Sn performed for the first time at the 9-MV Tandem accelerator facilities at Horia Hulubei Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering using the Oslo method. We extract thermodynamic properties and gross and fine properties of the pygmy dipole resonance for systematic comparison in the chain of Sn isotopes. The results are compared with microscopic models implemented in the TALYS reaction code and the fully microscopic quasiparticlephonon model for the underlying nuclear structure of the dipole strength in 112,114Sn. The quasiparticle-phonon model results show the importance of complex configurations to the low-energy dipole response in the pygmy dipole resonance energy region. The experimental data are further included in the cross section and reaction rate calculations for the (n, gamma ) reaction of the p-process nuclei 112,114Sn showing a significant increase in reaction rates at high temperatures compared to existing nuclear databases.

A detailed level scheme of 213Fr126 following the EC/beta+ decay of the 1/2- 213 Ra parent ground state was built in an experiment performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station, CERN. The fragmented total beta decay strength favours the direct population of several low-spin (J 7/2) excited states. The analysis of the gamma-singles spectrum and gamma-gamma coincidences allowed us to identify many new gamma-ray transitions and excited states in 213 Fr up to about 3.6 MeV excitation energy. The spins and parities of the newly established levels, on top of the (7/2-1 ) state, were mainly assigned based on the systematics of the N = 126 isotones and further compared with shell-model calculations. The level scheme displays a structural pattern, with several groups of states with negative parity, emerging from the well-defined, simple, pi ( h 59 / 2 ), pi ( h 4 9 / 2 f 17 / 2 ) configurations or from their configuration mixing. The strength of the E 2 transitions within the multiplets is compared with shell-model theoretical calculations performed with the KHPE and H 208 effective interactions. A new (3/2-) isomer with a half-life of 26(3) ns has been identified. An upper limit of 35 ps was determined for the half-life of the first excited state, 7/2-. The possibility of a mixed M 1 + E 2 character is discussed for the 7/2-1 -> 9/2-gs decay in 213 Fr, which leads to an l-forbidden nature of the pi f 7 / 2 -> pi h 9 / 2 transition.

. - The high-energy gamma-rays from the GDR decay of 56,60,62Ni* nuclei at finite temperature, produced in the reactions 32,34,36S + 24,26Mg at bombarding energies between 78 , 90 MeV, were measured and analyzed with statistical model using a Monte Carlo approach. It is found that the present analysis gives some evidence on the presence of an extra yield on the tail of the Giant Dipole Resonance which may be attributed to a Pygmy Dipole Resonance in an excited nucleus.

A detailed β-decay study of the low- and high-spin states in Bi216 has been performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station at the CERN-ISOLDE facility. In total, 48 new levels and 83 new transitions in the β-decay daughter Po216 were identified. Shell-model calculations for excited states in Bi216 and Po216 were performed using the H208 and the modified Kuo-Herling particle effective interactions. Based on the experimental observations and the shell-model calculations, the most likely spin and parity assignments for the β-decaying states in Bi216 are (3−) and (8−), respectively. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

. - The ELIGANT set of instruments is a dedicated tool being developed at ELI-NP for studying high-energy collective nuclear excitations using gamma beams. The topics of interest in these studies range from fundamental nuclear structure properties of the Giant Dipole Resonance and the low-energy strength enhancement in the Pygmy Dipole Resonance region, to applications in p-process nucleosynthesis and propagation of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays. The equipment consists of large-volume LaBr3:Ce and CeBr3 detectors for high-energy gamma-rays, liquid scintillators and lithium glass scintillators for high-and low-energy neutron time-of-flight, and a proportional counter system of 3He tubes for cross-section measurements. These instruments have been installed and commissioned with sources and via in beam measurements, in different configurations, at the IFIN-HH Tandem/Tandetron accelerators with terminal voltages of 3 MV and 9 MV. This contribution gives an overview of the present and future activities with ELIGANT.

M4 resonances in light nuclei result from the p3/2 -> d5/2 stretched exci-tations. Their configurations should be relatively simple, which makes them good benchmarks for the theoretical calculations taking into account the role of continuum couplings. The first experimental studies aiming at trac-ing the decay of the M4 stretched resonance in 13C, located at 21.47 MeV, were undertaken at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice at the Institute of Nu-clear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, Poland (IFJ PAN). They provided information on the proton and neutron decay channels of this resonance to 12B and 12C daughter nuclei, respectively. These ex-perimental results were then compared with the theoretical calculations based on the Gamow Shell Model approach, in terms of energy, width, and in particular, the decay pattern. Furthermore, the studies of the next cases, namely, 14N and 16O, where several M4 resonances appear at around 20 MeV, have been recently performed at CCB. The new experimental findings will serve as a testing ground for future calculations describing the heavier nuclei in this important region of the nuclear chart.

Background: The mercury isotopes around $N=104$ are a well-known example of nuclei exhibiting shape coexistence. Mixing of configurations can be studied by measuring the monopole strength $\rho^2(E0)$, however, currently the experimental information is scarce and lacks precision, especially for the $I^\pi \rightarrow I^\pi$ ($I \neq 0$) transitions. Purpose: The goals of this study were to increase the precision of the known branching ratios and internal conversion coefficients, to increase the amount of available information regarding excited states in $^{182,184,186}$Hg and to interpret the results in the framework of shape coexistence using different models. Method: The low-energy structures in $^{182,184,186}$Hg were populated in the $\beta$ decay of $^{182,184,186}$Tl, produced at ISOLDE and purified by laser ionization and mass separation. The $\gamma$-ray and internal conversion electron events were detected by five germanium clover detectors and a segmented silicon detector, respectively, and correlated in time to build decay schemes. Results: In total, 193, 178 and 156 transitions, including 144, 140 and 108 observed for the first time in a $\beta$-decay experiment, were assigned to $^{182,184,186}$Hg, respectively. Internal conversion coefficients were determined for 23 transitions, out of which 12 had an $E0$ component. Extracted branching ratios allowed the sign of the interference term in $^{182}$Hg as well as $\rho^2(E0;0^+_2\rightarrow 0^+_1)$ and $B(E2;0^+_2\rightarrow 2^+_1)$ in $^{184}$Hg to be determined. By means of electron-electron coincidences, the $0^+_3$ state was identified in $^{184}$Hg. The experimental results were qualitatively reproduced by five theoretical approaches, the IBM with configuration mixing with two different parametrizations, the General Bohr Hamiltonian, the BMF model and the SCCM model. However, a quantitative description is lacking.

Background: The mercury isotopes around N = 104 are a well-known example of nuclei exhibiting shape coex-istence. Mixing of configurations can be studied by measuring the monopole strength & rho;2(E0), however, currently the experimental information is scarce and lacks precision, especially for the I & pi; I & pi; (I =⠃ 0) transitions. Purpose: The goals of this study were to increase the precision of the known branching ratios and internal conversion coefficients, to increase the amount of available information regarding excited states in 182,184,186Hg, and to interpret the results in the framework of shape coexistence using different models. Method: The low-energy structures in 182,184,186Hg were populated in the & beta; decay of 182,184,186Tl, produced at ISOLDE, CERN and purified by laser ionization and mass separation. The & gamma;-ray and internal conversion electron events were detected by five germanium clover detectors and a segmented silicon detector, respectively, and correlated in time to build decay schemes.Results: In total, 193, 178, and 156 transitions, including 144, 140, and 108 observed for the first time in a & beta;-decay experiment, were assigned to 182,184,186Hg, respectively. Internal conversion coefficients were determined for 23 transitions, out of which 12 had an E0 component. Extracted branching ratios allowed the sign of the interference term in 182Hg as well as & rho;2(E 0; 0+2 & RARR; 0+1 ) and B(E2; 0+2 & RARR; 2+1 ) in 184Hg to be determined. By means of electron-electron coincidences, the 0+3 state was identified in 184Hg. The experimental results were qualitatively reproduced by five theoretical approaches, the interacting boson model with configuration mixing with two different parametrizations, the general Bohr Hamiltonian, the beyond mean-field model, and the symmetry-conserving configuration-mixing model. However, a quantitative description is lacking. Conclusions: The presence of shape coexistence in neutron-deficient mercury isotopes was confirmed and evidence for the phenomenon existing at higher energies was found. The new experimental results provide important spectroscopic input for future Coulomb excitation studies.

This paper reports on the results of (n, n'gamma ) and (p, p'gamma ) cross section measurements on nickel performed (Bucharest-Magurele), respectively. The main goal was to reliably measure with small uncertainty the most intense transitions arising from the inelastic channel. Comparisons are performed between the extracted results, nuclear reaction model calculations using default parameter values, and previously reported measurements, if available. The broader goal of this paper is related to our study on the possibility of inferring neutron inelastic cross sections from the proton-induced ones, in this case for 58Ni. We show that-by making use of the Lane consistency of the nucleon optical model potential and of the constraints offered by the proton data-one can extract a neutron-target potential that better describes the experimental data, as compared to the calculation with default neutron parameters. We also discuss relevant issues and still open questions of our calculations along with future plans for mitigation.

The decay of the 21.47-MeV stretched resonance in 13C, arising from p3/2→d5/2 nucleon excitation coupled to maximum spin, was investigated in a (p,p′) experiment at 135 MeV proton bombarding energy, performed at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) at IFJ PAN in Krakow. First experimental information on the proton and neutron decay branches from this state was obtained by using coincidence measurement of protons inelastically scattered on a 13C target and γ rays from daughter nuclei, namely, 12B (proton decay) and 12C (neutron decay). The main branches lead to the Jπ=2+, first-excited state at 0.953 MeV in 12B, and to the Jπ=1+, T=1 level at 15.110 MeV in 12C. The results were compared with predictions from the Gamow Shell Model (GSM), which was used to describe the stretched resonance in terms of its energy, width, electromagnetic transition strengths and decay pattern. A very good agreement was obtained between the measured and calculated properties of the 21.47-MeV stretched resonance in 13C, demonstrating the high-quality and precision of the GSM wave function calculations, which include coupling to the resonant and non-resonant particle continuum.

The assignment of the first 2(+) state in Ga-62 has long been debated, due to its implications in triplet energy difference systematics in this mass region. An experiment has been performed at the IFIN-HH 9-MV Tandem accelerator using the ROSPHERE array in a mixed configuration of LaBr3(Ce) and HPGe detectors, as well as an additional array of liquid scintillator neutron detectors. Excited states in 62Ga were populated through a 2n fusion-evaporation channel and an anisotropy ratio was obtained from neutron-filtered HPGe statistics of transitions observed at different angles. A 2(+) state has been confirmed at an excitation energy of 978.1(1) keV. Theoretically, the interplay between isospin-symmetry breaking and shape-coexistence effects in the A = 62 isovector triplet is self-consistently treated within the beyond-mean-field complex excited Vampir variational model with symmetry projection before variation using an effective interaction obtained from a G matrix based on the charge-dependent Bonn CD potential adding the Coulomb interaction between the valence protons. Results are presented on Coulomb energy differences, mirror energy differences, triplet energy differences, and the superallowed Fermi beta decay of the ground state of Ge-62 and Ga-62.

A new beta-decaying state in Bi-214 has been identified at the ISOLDE Decay Station at the CERN-ISOLDE facility. A preferred I-pi = (8(-)) assignment was suggested for this state based on the beta-decay feeding pattern to levels in Po-214 and shell-model calculations. The half-life of the I-pi = (8) state was deduced to be T-1/2 = 9.39(10) min. The deexcitation of the levels populated in Po-214 by the beta decay of this state was investigated via gamma-gamma coincidences and a number of new levels and transitions was identified. Shell-model calculations for excited states in Bi-214 and Po-214 were performed using two different effective interactions: the H208 and the modified Kuo-Herling particle interaction. Both calculations agree on the interpretation of the new beta-decaying state as an I-pi = 8 - isomer and allow for tentative assignment of shell-model states to several high-spin states in Po-214.

Half-lives of the low-lying yrast states of 212Po have been measured using the delayed coincidence fast-timing method. We report on the first measurement of the 41+ half-life, as well as a new measurement of the 61+ half-life with improved accuracy compared to previous studies. The extracted lifetime of the 41+ and 61+ state have been determined to be 100(14) ps and 1.66(28) ns respectively. With these measurements, precise values are now available for the reduced transition strengths B(E2) of all ground state band levels in 212Po up to the first 8+ state, in particular B(E2; 41+→21+) = 9.4(13) W.u. and B(E2;61+→41+) = 8.7(15) W.u. Comparison of the new available data with an α-clustering model calculation provides evidence that the inclusion of the α-cluster degree of freedom significantly improves agreement with experimental data compared to earlier shell model calculations.

Lifetimes of the low-energy levels in Nd-136, populated in the reaction Te-124 (O-16, 4n), were measured with the ROSPHERE array at the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), Bucharest-Magurele. The data were analyzed using the recoil distance Doppler shift method, and, in the cases where lifetimes were tau <= 1 ps, Doppler attenuation effects were taken into account. The deduced electromagnetic transition probabilities are discussed in the framework of the five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian (5DCH) theoretical model implemented with the D1S Gogny force, and detailed systematics of several observables in the even-even Nd isotopic chain are presented that highlight the transitional character of the neutron-deficient Nd isotopes. The 5DCH predictions are in overall good agreement with the present experimental results.

"Stretched" states are examples of the simplest nuclear excitations in the continuum, thus offering an excellent testing ground for various theoretical approaches. The decay of the stretched single-particle state in C-13, located at 21.47 MeV, was investigated in an experiment performed recently at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) at IFJ PAN in Krakow. First experimental information on the proton and neutron decay channels of this resonance was obtained by employing coincidence measurement of protons inelastically scattered on the C-13 target and gamma rays from daughter nuclei. The new experimental findings will be used for testing predictions obtained by the Gamow Shell Model calculations.

Decay spectroscopy of the long-lived states in Tl-186 has been performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station at ISOLDE, CERN. The a decay from the low-spin (2(-)) state in Tl-186 was observed for the first time and a half-life of 3.4(-0.)(4)(+0.5) s was determined. Based on the alpha-decay energy, the relative positions of the long-lived states were fixed, with the (2(-)) state as the ground state, the 7((+)) state at 77(56) keV, and the 10((-)) state at 451(56) keV. The level scheme of the internal decay of the Tl-186(10((-))) state [T-1/2 = 3.40(9) s], which was known to decay solely through emission of 374-keV gamma-ray transition, was extended and a lower limit for the beta-decay branching b(beta) > 5.9(3)% was determined. The extracted retardation factors for the gamma decay of the 10((-) )state were compared to the available data in neighboring odd-odd thallium isotopes indicating the importance of the pi d(3/2) shell in the isomeric decay and significant structure differences between Tl-184 and Tl-186.

“Stretched” states are examples of the simplest nuclear excitations in the continuum, thus offering an excellent testing ground for various theoretical approaches. The decay of the stretched single-particle state in 13C, located at 21.47 MeV, was investigated in an experiment performed recently at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) at IFJ PAN in Krakow. First experimental information on the proton and neutron decay channels of this resonance was obtained by employing coincidence measurement of protons inelastically scattered on the 13C target and γ rays from daughter nuclei. The new experimental findings will be used for testing predictions obtained by the Gamow Shell Model calculations.

The low-spin structure of the semimagic ^{64}Ni nucleus has been considerably expanded: combining four experiments, several 0^{+} and 2^{+} excited states were identified below 4.5 MeV, and their properties established. The Monte Carlo shell model accounts for the results and unveils an unexpectedly complex landscape of coexisting shapes: a prolate 0^{+} excitation is located at a surprisingly high energy (3463 keV), with a collective 2^{+} state 286 keV above it, the first such observation in Ni isotopes. The evolution in excitation energy of the prolate minimum across the neutron N=40 subshell gap highlights the impact of the monopole interaction and its variation in strength with N.

The Zirconium isotopes across the N=56,58 neutron sub­shell closures have been of special interest since years, sparked by the near doubly-magic features of 96Zr and the subsequent rapid onset of collectivity with a deformed ground-state structure already in 100Zr. Recent state-of-the-art shell model approaches did not only correctly describe this shape-phase transition in the Zr isotopic chain, but alsothe coexistence of non-collective structures and pronounced collectivity especially in 96,98Zr. Theisotope 98Zr is located on the transition from spherical to deformed ground state structures. We summarize recent experimental work to obtain the B(E2) excitation strengths of the first 2+ state of98Zr, including a new experiment employing the recoil-distance Doppler-shift method following a two-neutron transfer reaction.