Excitation energy and angular momentum dependence of the nuclear level density parameter around A≈110

Abstract

Neutron kinetic energy spectra in coincidence with low-energy $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray multiplicities have been measured around $A\ensuremath{\approx}110$ in the $^{16}\mathrm{O}+^{93}\mathrm{Nb}$ and $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}+^{93}\mathrm{Nb}$ reactions in a compound nuclear excitation energy range of $\ensuremath{\approx}90--140$ MeV. The excitation energy (temperature) dependence and the angular momentum (spin) dependence of the inverse level density parameter $k$ have been investigated by comparing the experimental data with statistical Hauser-Feshbach calculations. In contrast to the available systematic in this mass region, the inverse level density parameter showed an appreciable increase as a function of the excitation energy. The extracted $k$ values at different angular momentum regions, corresponding to different $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ multiplicities, also showed an overall increase with the average nuclear spins. The experimental results have been compared with a microscopic statistical-model calculation and found to be in reasonable agreement with the data. The results provide useful information to understand the variation of nuclear level density at high temperature and spins.