Nuclear structure of 129Te studied with (n, γ), (d, p) and [formula omitted], t) reactions

Abstract

The nuclear structure of 129Te has been investigated with the 128Te(n, γγ) 129Te reaction using thermal neutrons, with the 128Te(d, p) 129Te reaction at E d=24 MeV and E d=18 MeV, and with the 130Te( d → , t) 129Te reaction at E d=24 MeV. More than 110 levels were identified already below 3 MeV excitation energy, in most cases including spin, parity, and γ decay. The neutron binding energy was determined to be 6082.42(11) keV. The thermal neutron capture cross sections to the ground state and to the 11/2 − isomer were found to be 0.165(20) b and 0.021(3) b, respectively. The mechanism of direct neutron capture was verified to play an important role in the 128Te(n, γ) 129Te reaction. The experimental level scheme is compared with predictions of the Interacting Boson–Fermion Model (IBFM) and of the Quasiparticle Phonon Model (QPM).