Doppler-shift lifetime measurements in 96Zr with the inelastic neutron scattering reaction

Abstract

Lifetimes of states in 96Zr have been extracted from the Doppler shifts of γ-rays produced by inelastic scattering of accelerator-produced neutrons at incident energies of 3.8 and 4.3 MeV. From these data and the assumption that the Blaugrund theory is applicable, sixteen lifetimes and another seven lifetime limits were determined. Special features of these types of measurements are discussed. For several levels that decay directly to the ground state, spin assignments have been deduced from the γ-ray angular distributions. From measured B( E2) and B(E1) values, support is found for suggested collective quadrupole and octupole structures in this nucleus.