In-beam gamma ray and conversion electron study ofFm250

Abstract

We report on a set of in-beam studies of excited states in $^{250}\mathrm{Fm}$. We detected prompt \ensuremath{\gamma} rays by using the JUROSPHERE IV array and conversion electrons by using the SACRED spectrometer. Both devices were used in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled recoil separator located at the University of Jyv\askyl\a. $^{250}\mathrm{Fm}$ nuclei were produced through the $^{204}\mathrm{Hg}$($^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$,$2n)$$^{250}\mathrm{Fm}$ fusion-evaporation reaction. An experimental excitation function gave a maximum reaction cross section of (980 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 160) nb at an energy of 209 MeV in the center of the target. Tagging techniques were employed, and a number of E2 transitions were observed that connected the ground-state band levels from spin ${4}^{+}$ up to ${18}^{+}$. The highly converted ${4}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}^{+}$ transition is observed only by use of conversion electron spectroscopy. The observed ground-state band transitions indicate a rotational structure. We deduce a quadrupole deformation parameter of ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{2}=0.28$ \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.02. A low-energy background of apparent nuclear origin is observed in conversion electrons and postulated to arise from the decay of high-K bands. The half-life of $^{250}\mathrm{Fm}$ is measured to be 30.4 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1.5 min.