ISAC Radioactive Ion Beam Facility Research Articles

Direct observation of an isomeric state in 98Rb and nuclear properties of exotic rubidium isotopes measured by laser spectroscopy

Fast-beam collinear laser spectroscopy experiments on rubidium have been performed at the ISAC radioactive ion beam facility at TRIUMF. Most recently, the neutron-rich 98Rb isotope has been studied for the investigation of shape coexistence. Two long-lived nuclear states in 98Rb have been clearly observed for the first time: a low-spin state, assigned a spin of I = 0, and a high-spin state. The high-spin state is tentatively assigned a spin of I = 3 based on this analysis in combination with gamma decay results. The measured nuclear properties of the two states are presented, alongside unpublished values of the neutron-deficient isotopes investigated previously. The mean-square charge radii of both states in 98Rb are observed to continue along the isodeformation line present after the N = 60 onset of deformation.

The DEuterated SCintillator Array for Neutron Tagging

A neutron tagging array based upon liquid deuterated scintillators is being developed for the study of neutron-rich systems. The DEuterated SCintillator Array for Neutron Tagging, or DESCANT, will serve as an auxiliary detector for both the TIGRESS and GRIFFIN γ -ray spectrometers located at TRIUMF’s ISAC radioactive ion beam facility. DESCANT is comprised of 70 pseudohexaconical detectors of five varieties. The array is fully close-packed, subtends a downstream angle of θ = 65° and covers 92.6% of this solid angle or 1.08 π sr. Each detector is 150 mm thick and filled with Bicron BC-537 liquid deuterated scintillator. The white, red and blue detectors are viewed by 127 mm diameter Hamamatsu R4155 photomultiplier tubes while the yellow and green detectors are viewed by 78 mm diameter ET Enterprises 9822B photomultiplier tubes. The aim of this work is to report on the mechanical design of DESCANT and the performance of a prototype detector measured using mono-energetic neutrons.

Commissioning of the Francium Trapping Facility at TRIUMF

We report on the successful commissioning of the Francium Trapping Facility at TRIUMF. Large laser-cooled samples of francium are produced from a francium ion beam delivered by the ISAC radioactive ion beam facility. The ion beam is neutralized on an yttrium foil, which is subsequently heated to transfer the atoms into the magneto-optical trapping region. We have successfully trapped 207Fr, 209Fr and 221Fr, with a maximum of 2.5 × 105 209Fr atoms. The neutral cold atoms will be used in studies of the weak interaction through measurements of atomic parity non-conservation.

InternalγDecay and the Superallowed Branching Ratio for theβ+EmitterKm38

The branching ratio for the superallowed beta(+) decay of (38)K(m) was measured at TRIUMF's ISAC radioactive ion beam facility. The M3 internal transition between the isomer and the ground state of (38)K(m) was observed with a branching ratio of 330(43) ppm. A search for the nonanalogue beta-decay branch to the first excited 0(+) state in (38)Ar was also performed and yielded an upper limit of < or =12 ppm at 90% C.L. These measurements lead to a revised superallowed branching ratio for (38)K(m) of 99.967(4)%, and increase the (38)K(m) ft value by its entire quoted uncertainty to ft=3052.1(10) s. Implications for tests of the nuclear-structure dependent corrections in superallowed beta decays and the extraction of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element V(ud) are discussed.

Energy loss around the stopping power maximum of Ne, Mg and Na ions in hydrogen gas

The DRAGON (detector of recoils and gamma-rays of nuclear reactions) setup at the ISAC radioactive ion beam facility of TRIUMF, Vancouver, was used to measure the energy loss of stable neon and magnesium as well as of radioactive sodium ions (energy range 200–1150 keV/u) in hydrogen gas. Stopping power values were determined and (as no previous experimental data around the stopping power maximum existed) compared to the available semi-empirical codes SRIM 2000, SRIM 2003, ATIMA and MSTAR. The experimental data seems to favor the new SRIM 2003 approach and will hopefully provide input to a further improvement of the parameter set.