Abstract: beta-delayed gamma-neutron spectroscopy has been performed on the decay of A=84 to 87 gallium isotopes at the RI-beam Factory at the RIKEN Nishina Center using a high-efficiency array of 3He neutron counters (BRIKEN). beta-2n-gamma events were measured in the decays of all of the four isotopes for the first time, which is direct evidence for populating the excited states of two-neutron daughter nuclei. Detailed decay schemes with the gamma branching ratios were obtained for these isotopes, and the neutron emission probabilities (P-xn) were updated from the previous study. Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations were performed to understand the experimental branching ratios. We found that the P-1n and P-2n values are sensitive to the nuclear level densities of 1n daughter nuclei and showed that the statistical model reproduced the P-2n/P-1n ratio better when experimental levels plus shell-model level densities fit by the Gilbert-Cameron formula were used as the level-density input. We also showed the neutron and gamma branching ratios are sensitive to the ground-state spin of the parent nucleus. Our statistical model analysis suggested J <= 3 for the unknown ground-state spin of the odd-odd nucleus Ga-86, from the I gamma(4(+)-> 2(+))/I-gamma(2(+)-> 0(+)) ratio of Ga-84 and the P-2n/P-1n ratio. These results show the necessity of detailed understanding of the decay scheme, including data from neutron spectroscopy, in addition to gamma measurements of the multineutron emitters.

Abstract: Neutron-rich Ba isotopes are expected to exhibit octupolar correlations, reaching their maximum in isotopes around mass A = 146. The odd-A neutron-rich members of this isotopic chain show typical patterns related to non-axially symmetric shapes, which are however less marked compared to even-A ones, pointing to a major contribution from vibrations. In the present paper we present results from a recent study focused on Cs148-150 beta-decay performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station equipped with fast-timing detectors. A detailed analysis of the measured decay half-lives and decay scheme of Ba-149 is presented, giving a first insight in the structure of this neutron-rich nucleus.

Abstract: Nuclei in the vicinity of 78Ni are important benchmarks for nuclear structure, which can reveal changes in the shell structure far from stability. Spectroscopy of the odd-odd isotope 78Cu was performed for the first time in an experiment with the EURICA setup at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN Nishina Center. Excited states in the neutron-rich isotope were populated following the beta decay of 78Ni produced by in-flight fission and and separated by the BigRIPS separator. A level scheme based on the analysis of γ−γ coincidences is presented. Tentative spin and parity assignments were made when possible based on the β-decay feeding intensities and γ-decay properties of the excited states. Time correlations between β and γ decay show clear indications of an isomeric state with a half-life of 3.8(4) ms. Large-scale Monte Carlo shell-model calculations were performed using the A3DA-m interaction and a valence space comprising the full fp shell and the 1g9/2 and 2d5/2 orbitals for both protons and neutrons. The comparison of the experimental results with the shell-model calculations allows interpreting the excited states in terms of spin multiplets arising from the proton-neutron interaction. The results provide further insight into the evolution of the proton single-particle orbitals as a function of neutron number, and quantitative information about the proton-neutron interaction outside the doubly magic 78Ni core.

Abstract: beta-delayed one-neutron and two-neutron branching ratios (P-1n and P-2n) have been measured in the decay of A = 84 to 87 Ga isotopes at the Radioactive-Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) at the RIKEN Nishina Center using a high-efficiency array of He-3 neutron counters (BRIKEN). Two-neutron emission was observed in the decay of Ga-84,Ga-85,Ga-87 for the first time and the branching ratios were measured to be P-2n = 1.6(2)%, 1.3(2)%, and 10.2(28)(stat)(5)(sys)%, respectively. One-neutron branching ratio of Ga-87 (P-1n = 81(9)(stat)(8)(sys)%) and half-life of 29(4) ms were measured for the first time. The branching ratios of Ga-86 were also measured to be P-1n = 74(2)(stat)(8)(sys)% and 16.2(9)(stat)(6)(sys)% with better precision than a previous study. The observation that P-1n > P-2n for both Ga-86,Ga-87 was unexpected and is interpreted as a signature of dominating one-neutron emission from the two-neutron unbound excited states in Ge-86,Ge-87. In order to interpret the experimental results, shell-model and Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations of delayed particle and gamma-ray emission probabilities were performed. This model framework reproduces the experimental results. The shell model alone predicts P-2n significantly larger than P-1n for the Ga-87 decay, and it is necessary to invoke a statistical description to successfully explain the observation that P-1n > P-2n. Our new results demonstrate the relevance and importance of a statistical description of neutron emission for the prediction of the decay properties of multineutron emitters and that it must be included in the r-process modeling.

Abstract: The occurrence of octupolar shapes in the Ba isotopic chain was recently established experimentally up to N = 90. To further extend the systematics, the evolution of shapes in the most neutron-rich members of the Z = 56 isotopic chain accessible at present, Ba-148,Ba-150, has been studied via beta decay at the ISOLDE Decay Station. This paper reports on the first measurement of the positive-and negative-parity low-spin excited states of 150Ba and presents an extension of the beta-decay scheme of Cs-148. Employing the fast timing technique, half-lives for the 2(1)(+) level in both nuclei have been determined, resulting in T-1/2 = 1.51(1) ns for Ba-148 and T-1/2 = 3.4(2) ns for Ba-150. The systematics of low-spin states, together with the experimental determination of the B(E2 : 2(+) -> 0(+)) transition probabilities, indicate an increasing collectivity in Ba148-150, towards prolate deformed shapes. The experimental data are compared to symmetry conserving configuration mixing (SCCM) calculations, confirming an evolution of increasingly quadrupole deformed shapes with a definite octupolar character.