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AGATA Collaboration(Akkoyun, S. et al), Algora, A., Barrientos, D., Domingo-Pardo, C., Egea, F. J., Gadea, A., et al. (2012). AGATA-Advanced GAmma Tracking Array. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 668, 26–58.
Abstract: The Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is a European project to develop and operate the next generation gamma-ray spectrometer. AGATA is based on the technique of gamma-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. This technique requires the accurate determination of the energy, time and position of every interaction as a gamma ray deposits its energy within the detector volume. Reconstruction of the full interaction path results in a detector with very high efficiency and excellent spectral response. The realisation of gamma-ray tracking and AGATA is a result of many technical advances. These include the development of encapsulated highly segmented germanium detectors assembled in a triple cluster detector cryostat, an electronics system with fast digital sampling and a data acquisition system to process the data at a high rate. The full characterisation of the crystals was measured and compared with detector-response simulations. This enabled pulse-shape analysis algorithms, to extract energy, time and position, to be employed. In addition, tracking algorithms for event reconstruction were developed. The first phase of AGATA is now complete and operational in its first physics campaign. In the future AGATA will be moved between laboratories in Europe and operated in a series of campaigns to take advantage of the different beams and facilities available to maximise its science output. The paper reviews all the achievements made in the AGATA project including all the necessary infrastructure to operate and support the spectrometer.
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Cederwall, B. et al, Algora, A., & Gadea, A. (2011). Evidence for a spin-aligned neutron-proton paired phase from the level structure of Pd-92. Nature, 469(7328), 68–71.
Abstract: Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work(1) that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing(2-6), in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus Pd-92. Gamma rays emitted following the Ni-58(Ar-36,2n)Pd-92 fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution c-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction(2-6). We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling(7,8)) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.
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Zheng, Y. et al, & Gadea, A. (2013). gamma-ray linear polarization measurements and (g(9/2))(-3) neutron alignment in Ru-91. Phys. Rev. C, 87(4), 044328–10pp.
Abstract: Linear polarization measurements have been performed for gamma rays in Ru-91 produced with the Ni-58(Ar-36,2p1n gamma)Ru-91 reaction at a beam energy of 111 MeV. The EXOGAM Ge clover array has been used to measure the gamma-gamma coincidences, gamma-ray linear polarization, and gamma-ray angular distributions. The polarization sensitivity of the EXOGAM clover detectors acting as Compton polarimeters has been determined in the energy range 0.3-1.3 MeV. Several transitions have been observed for the first time. Measurements of linear polarization and angular distribution have led to the firm assignments of spin differences and parity of high-spin states in Ru-91. More specifically, calculations using a semiempirical shell model were performed to understand the structures of the first and second (21/2(+)) and (17/2(+)) levels. The results are in good agreement with the experimental data, supporting the interpretation of the nonyrast (21/2(+)) and (17/2(+)) states in terms of the J(max) and J(max) – 2 members of the seniority-three nu(g(9/2))(-3) multiplet.
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Dijon, A. et al, & Gadea, A. (2011). Lifetime measurements in Co-63 and Co-65. Phys. Rev. C, 83(6), 064321–7pp.
Abstract: Lifetimes of the 9/2(1)(-) and 3/2(1)(-) states in Co-63 and the 9/2(1)(-) state in Co-65 were measured using the recoil distance Doppler shift and the differential decay curve methods. The nuclei were populated by multinucleon transfer reactions in inverse kinematics. gamma rays were measured with the EXOGAM Ge array and the recoiling fragments were fully identified using the large-acceptance VAMOS spectrometer. The E2 transition probabilities from the 3/2(1)(-) and 9/2(1)(-) states to the 7/2(-) ground state could be extracted in Co-63 as well as an upper limit for the 9/2(1)(-) -> 7/2(1)(-) B(E2) value in Co-65. The experimental results were compared to large-scale shell-model calculations in the pf and pfg(9/2) model spaces, allowing us to draw conclusions on the single-particle or collective nature of the various states.
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Bizzeti, P. G. et al, & Gadea, A. (2010). Transition probabilities in the X(5) candidate Ba-122. Phys. Rev. C, 82(5), 054311–10pp.
Abstract: To investigate the possible X(5) character of Ba-122, suggested by the ground-state band energy pattern, the lifetimes of the lowest yrast states of Ba-122 have been measured, via the recoil distance Doppler-shift method. The relevant levels have been populated by using the Cd-108(O-16,2n)Ba-122 and the Sn-112(C-13, 3n)Ba-122 reactions. The B(E2) values deduced in the present work are compared to the predictions of the X(5) model and to calculations performed in the framework of the IBA-1 and IBA-2 models.
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Pasqualato, G. et al, Domingo-Pardo, C., & Gadea, A. (2023). Shape evolution in even-mass 98-104Zr isotopes via lifetime measurements using the γ γ-coincidence technique. Eur. Phys. J. A, 59(11), 276–13pp.
Abstract: The Zirconium (Z = 40) isotopic chain has attracted interest for more than four decades. The abrupt lowering of the energy of the first 2(+) state and the increase in the transition strength B(E2; 2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+) ) going from Zr-98 to Zr-100 has been the first example of “quantum phase transition” in nuclear shapes, which has few equivalents in the nuclear chart. Although a multitude of experiments have been performed to measure nuclear properties related to nuclear shapes and collectivity in the region, none of the measured lifetimes were obtained using the Recoil Distance Doppler Shift method in the gamma gamma-coincidence mode where a gate on the direct feeding transition of the state of interest allows a strict control of systematical errors. This work reports the results of lifetime measurements for the first yrast excited states in Zr98-104 carried out to extract reduced transition probabilities. The new lifetime values in gamma gamma-coincidence and gamma-single mode are compared with the results of former experiments. Recent predictions of the Interacting Boson Model with Configuration Mixing, the Symmetry Conserving Configuration Mixing model based on the Hartree-Fock- Bogoliubov approach and the Monte Carlo Shell Model are presented and compared with the experimental data.
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AGATA Collaboration(Krzysiek, M. et al), & Gadea, A. (2016). Gamma decay of the possible 1(-) two-phonon state in Ce-140 excited via inelastic scattering of O-17. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 47(3), 859–866.
Abstract: The gamma decay from the low-lying dipole states of Ce-140 excited via inelastic scattering of O-17 at bombarding energy of 340 MeV was measured using the high resolution AGATA-Demonstrator array in coincidence with scattered ions detected in two segmented Delta E-E silicon detectors of the TRACE array. Particular attention is here given to the decay of the first 1(-) state at 3643 keV which is considered to be of two-phonon character. The gamma-gamma coincidence method was applied to select desired decay branch. No direct decay from this state was observed to 2(+) and 3(-) phonon states which would be the proof of the pure harmonic coupling. The comparison between experimentally obtained differential cross sections and analysis with distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA) allowed to conclude that the first 1(-) state has a different nature than higher-lying pygmy dipole states. This was possible using the form factor obtained by folding a microscopically calculated transition density.
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AGATA Collaboration(Alexander, T. et al), & Gadea, A. (2015). Isomeric ratios in Hg-206. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 46(3), 601–605.
Abstract: Hg-206 was populated in the fragmentation of an E/A = 1 GeV Pb-208 beam at GSI. It was part of a campaign to study nuclei around Pb-208 via relativistic Coulomb excitation. The observation of the known isomeric states confirmed the identification of the fragmentation products. The isomeric decays were also used to prove that the correlations between beam identification detectors and the AGATA gamma-ray tracking array worked properly and that the tracking efficiency was independent of the time relative to the prompt flash.
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Mijatovic, T., Szilner, S., Corradi, L., Montanari, D., Courtin, S., Fioretto, E., et al. (2015). Pairing Correlation Study in the 40Ar + 208Pb Multinucleon Transfer Reaction. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 46(3), 439–442.
Abstract: The Ar-40 + Pb-208 multinucleon transfer reaction has been studied at E-lab = 255 MeV with the large solid angle magnetic spectrometer PRISMA. Mass and charge yields, differential and total cross sections, total kinetic energy loss distributions of different channels were simultaneously measured. Angular distributions were measured in a wide angular range by matching different spectrometer angular settings. Absolute cross sections were obtained by careful evaluation of the spectrometer response function. These cross sections for different transfer channels allow the discussion of the role played by nucleon-nucleon correlations.
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Hadynska-Klek, K. et al, & Gadea, A. (2013). Towards the determination of superdeformation in Ca-42. Acta Phys. Pol. B, 44(3), 617–625.
Abstract: The Coulomb excitation experiment to study electromagnetic structure of low-lying states in Ca-42 with a focus on a possible superdeformation in this nucleus was performed at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro in Italy. Preliminary values of the determined quadrupole deformation parameters for both the ground state band and the presumed superdeformed band are presented.
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