Measuring the collectivity of neutron-rich nuclei

Abstract

Measuring the lifetimes of excited nuclear states provides direct information on electromagnetic transition rates and on the collectivity of nuclear excitations. The recoil distance Doppler-shift (RDDS) method is a well-established technique for measuring picosecond lifetimes of excited states, which has been extensively used in combination with fusion-evaporation reactions to measure lifetimes in neutron-deficient nuclei. Here we discuss novel ways of combining the RDDS technique with multi-nucleon transfer and fusion–fission reactions, which allow measurement of picosecond lifetimes in neutron-rich nuclei. Experiments were performed at both GANIL and Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL) with the goal to investigate the onset of collectivity around 68Ni and the evolution of shapes and shape coexistence in medium-heavy fission fragments.