arXiv subjects

H. Sakurai

Publications and source records attributed to H. Sakurai.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Charged particle track reconstruction with S$π$RIT Time Projection Chamber

In this paper, we present a software framework, S$π$RITROOT, which is capable of track reconstruction and analysis of heavy-ion collision events recorded with the S$π$RIT time projection chamber. The track-fitting toolkit GENFIT and the vertex reconstruction toolkit RAVE are applied to a box-type detector system. A pattern recognition algorithm which performs helix track finding and handles overlapping pulses is described. The performance of the software is investigated using experimental data obtained at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Facility (RIBF) at RIKEN. This work focuses on data from $^{132}$Sn + $^{124}$Sn collision events with beam energy of 270 AMeV. Particle identification is established using $\left $ and magnetic rigidity, with pions, hydrogen isotopes, and helium isotopes.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

Shell evolution of $N=40$ isotones towards $^{60}$Ca: First spectroscopy of $^{62}$Ti

Excited states in the $N=40$ isotone $^{62}$Ti were populated via the $^{63}$V$(p,2p)$$^{62}$Ti reaction at $\sim$200~MeV/u at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory and studied using $γ$-ray spectroscopy. The energies of the $2^+_1 \rightarrow 0^{+}_{\mathrm{gs}}$ and $4^+_1 \rightarrow 2^+_1$ transitions, observed here for the first time, indicate a deformed $^{62}$Ti ground state. These energies are increased compared to the neighboring $^{64}$Cr and $^{66}$Fe isotones, suggesting a small decrease of quadrupole collectivity. The present measurement is well reproduced by large-scale shell-model calculations based on effective interactions, while ab initio and beyond mean-field calculations do not yet reproduce our findings. The shell-model calculations for $^{62}$Ti show a dominant configuration with four neutrons excited across the $N=40$ gap. Likewise, they indicate that the $N=40$ island of inversion extends down to $Z=20$, disfavoring a possible doubly magic character of the elusive $^{60}$Ca.

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arXiv2019

$^{78}$Ni revealed as a doubly magic stronghold against nuclear deformation

Nuclear magic numbers, which emerge from the strong nuclear force based on quantum chromodynamics, correspond to fully occupied energy shells of protons, or neutrons inside atomic nuclei. Doubly magic nuclei, with magic numbers for both protons and neutrons, are spherical and extremely rare across the nuclear landscape. While the sequence of magic numbers is well established for stable nuclei, evidence reveals modifications for nuclei with a large proton-to-neutron asymmetry. Here, we provide the first spectroscopic study of the doubly magic nucleus $^{78}$Ni, fourteen neutrons beyond the last stable nickel isotope. We provide direct evidence for its doubly magic nature, which is also predicted by ab initio calculations based on chiral effective field theory interactions and the quasi-particle random-phase approximation. However, our results also provide the first indication of the breakdown of the neutron magic number 50 and proton magic number 28 beyond this stronghold, caused by a competing deformed structure. State-of-the-art phenomenological shell-model calculations reproduce this shape coexistence, predicting further a rapid transition from spherical to deformed ground states with $^{78}$Ni as turning point.

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arXiv2019

Swelling of doubly magic $^{48}$Ca core in Ca isotopes beyond $N=28$

Interaction cross sections for $^{42\textrm{-}51}$Ca on a carbon target at 280 MeV/nucleon have been measured for the first time. The neutron number dependence of derived root-mean-square matter radii shows a significant increase beyond the neutron magic number $N=28$. Furthermore, this enhancement of matter radii is much larger than that of the previously measured charge radii, indicating a novel growth in neutron skin thickness. A simple examination based on the Fermi-type distribution, and the Mean-Field calculations point out that this anomalous enhancement of the nuclear size beyond $N=28$ results from an enlargement of the core by a sudden increase in the surface diffuseness of the neutron density distribution, which implies the swelling of the bare $^{48}$Ca core in Ca isotopes beyond $N=28$.

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arXiv2019

Discovery of $^{68}$Br in secondary reactions of radioactive beams

The proton-rich isotope 68Br was discovered in secondary fragmentation reactions of fast radioactive beams. Proton-rich secondary beams of 70,71,72Kr and 70Br, produced at the RIKEN Nishina Center and identified by the BigRIPS fragment separator, impinged on a secondary 9Be target. Unambiguous particle identification behind the secondary target was achieved with the ZeroDegree spectrometer. Based on the expected direct production cross sections from neighboring isotopes, the lifetime of the ground or long-lived isomeric state of 68Br was estimated. The results suggest that secondary fragmentation reactions, where relatively few nucleons are removed from the projectile, offer an alternative way to search for new isotopes, as these reactions populate preferentially low-lying states.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2019

First spectroscopy of 61Ti and the transition to the Island of Inversion at N = 40

Isomeric states in 59,61Ti have been populated in the projectile fragmentation of a 345 AMeV 238U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. The decay lifetimes and delayed gamma-ray transitions were measured with the EURICA array. Besides the known isomeric state in 59Ti, two isomeric states in 61Ti are observed for the first time. Based on the measured lifetimes, transition multipolarities as well as tentative spins and parities are assigned. Large-scale shell model calculations based on the modified LNPS interaction show that both 59Ti and 61Ti belong to the Island of Inversion at N=40 with ground state configurations dominated by particle-hole excitations to the g_9/2 and d_5/2 orbits.

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arXiv2019

How Robust is the N = 34 Subshell Closure? First Spectroscopy of $^{52}$Ar

The first $γ$-ray spectroscopy of $^{52}$Ar, with the neutron number N = 34, was measured using the $^{53}$K(p,2p) one-proton removal reaction at $\sim$210 MeV/u at the RIBF facility. The 2$^{+}_{1}$ excitation energy is found at 1656(18) keV, the highest among the Ar isotopes with N $>$ 20. This result is the first experimental signature of the persistence of the N = 34 subshell closure beyond $^{54}$Ca, i.e., below the magic proton number Z = 20. Shell-model calculations with phenomenological and chiral-effective-field-theory interactions both reproduce the measured 2$^{+}_{1}$ systematics of neutron-rich Ar isotopes, and support a N = 34 subshell closure in $^{52}$Ar.

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arXiv2018

Commissioning of the BRIKEN detector for the measurement of very exotic beta-delayed neutron emitters

A new detection system has been installed at the RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan) to investigate decay properties of very neutron-rich nuclei. The setup consists of three main parts: a moderated neutron counter, a detection system sensitive to the implantation and decay of radioactive ions, and gamma-ray detectors. We describe here the setup, the commissioning experiment and some selected results demonstrating its performance for the measurement of half-lives and beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities. The methodology followed in the analysis of the data is described in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on the correction of the accidental neutron background.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Shape coexistence and isospin symmetry in $A=70$ nuclei: Spectroscopy of the $T_z = -1$ nucleus $^{70}$Kr

Excited states in the $T_z=-1$ nucleus $^{70}$Kr have been populated using inelastic scattering of a radioactive $^{70}$Kr beam as well as one- and two-neutron removal reactions from $^{71,72}$Kr at intermediate beam energies. The level scheme of $^{70}$Kr was constructed from the observed $γ$-ray transitions and coincidences. Tentative spin and parity assignments were made based on comparison with the mirror nucleus $^{70}$Se. A second $2^+$ state and a candidate for the corresponding $4^+_2$ state suggest shape coexistence in $^{70}$Kr.

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arXiv2018

Is Seniority a Partial Dynamic Symmetry in the First $νg_{9/2}$ Shell?

The low-lying structures of the midshell $νg_{9/2}$ Ni isotopes $^{72}$Ni and $^{74}$Ni have been investigated at the RIBF facility in RIKEN within the EURICA collaboration. Previously unobserved low-lying states were accessed for the first time following $β$ decay of the mother nuclei $^{72}$Co and $^{74}$Co. As a result, we provide a complete picture in terms of the seniority scheme up to the first $(8^+)$ levels for both nuclei. The experimental results are compared to shell-model calculations in order to define to what extent the seniority quantum number is preserved in the first neutron $g_{9/2}$ shell. We find that the disappearance of the seniority isomerism in the $(8^+_1)$ states can be explained by a lowering of the seniority-four $(6^+)$ levels as predicted years ago. For $^{74}$Ni, the internal de-excitation pattern of the newly observed $(6^+_2)$ state supports a restoration of the normal seniority ordering up to spin $J=4$. This property, unexplained by the shell-model calculations, is in agreement with a dominance of the single-particle spherical regime near $^{78}$Ni.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2018

Spectroscopy of nuclei around $^{100}$Sn populated via two-neutron knockout reactions

We report on the in-beam gamma spectroscopy of $^{102}$Sn and $^{100}$Cd produced via two-neutron removal from carbon and CH$_2$ targets at about 150 MeV/nucleon beam energy. New transitions assigned to the decay of a second 2$^+$ excited state at 2470(60) keV in $^{102}$Sn were observed. Two-neutron removal cross sections from $^{104}$Sn and $^{102}$Cd have been extracted. The enhanced cross section to the 2$^+_2$ in $^{102}$Sn populated via the $(p,p2n)$ reaction is traced back to an increase of shell-model structure overlaps, consistent with the hypothesis that the proton-induced two-deeply-bound-nucleon removal mechanism is of direct nature.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2017

Structure of 55Sc and development of the N=34 subshell closure

The low-lying structure of $^{55}$Sc has been investigated using in-beam $γ$-ray spectroscopy with the $^{9}$Be($^{56}$Ti,$^{55}$Sc+$γ$)$X$ one-proton removal and $^{9}$Be($^{55}$Sc,$^{55}$Sc+$γ$)$X$ inelastic-scattering reactions at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. Transitions with energies of 572(4), 695(5), 1539(10), 1730(20), 1854(27), 2091(19), 2452(26), and 3241(39) keV are reported, and a level scheme has been constructed using $γγ$ coincidence relationships and $γ$-ray relative intensities. The results are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations in the $sd$-$pf$ model space, which account for positive-parity states from proton-hole cross-shell excitations, and to it ab initio shell-model calculations from the in-medium similarity renormalization group that includes three-nucleon forces explicitly. The results of proton-removal reaction theory with the eikonal model approach were adopted to aid identification of positive-parity states in the level scheme; experimental counterparts of theoretical $1/2^{+}_{1}$ and $3/2^{+}_{1}$ states are suggested from measured decay patterns. The energy of the first $3/2^{-}$ state, which is sensitive to the neutron shell gap at the Fermi surface, was determined. The result indicates a rapid weakening of the $N=34$ subshell closure in $pf$-shell nuclei at $Z>20$, even when only a single proton occupies the $πf_{7/2}$ orbital.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2017

Unusual coexistence of negative/positive charge-transfer in mixed-valence Na$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$Cr$_2$O$_4$

We have investigated the electronic structure of Na$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$Cr$_2$O$_4$ using x-ray absorption spectroscopy together with Anderson impurity model calculations with full multiplets. We show Na$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$Cr$_2$O$_4$ taking a novel mixed-valence electronic state in which the positive charge-transfer (CT) and the negative self-doped states coexist. While CaCr$_2$O$_4$ (one end member) exhibits a typical CT nature with strong covalent character, Na substitution causes a self-doped state with an oxygen hole. In NaCr$_2$O$_4$ (the other end member), positive CT and negative self-doped states coexist with equal weight. This unusual electronic state is in sharp contrast to the conventional mixed-valence description, in which the ground state can be described by the mixture of Cr$^{3+}$ ($3d^3$) and Cr$^{4+}$ ($3d^2$).

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Simultaneous investigation of the $\mathbf{T=1~ (J^π=0^+)}$ and $\mathbf{T=0 ~ (J^π=9^+)}$ $β$ decays in $^{70}$Br

The $β$ decay of the odd-odd nucleus $^{70}$Br has been investigated with the BigRIPS and EURICA setups at the Radioactive Ion Beam Factory (RIBF) of the RIKEN Nishina Center. The $T=0$ ($J^π=9^+$) and $T=1$ ($J^π=0^+$) isomers have both been produced in in-flight fragmentation of $^{78}$Kr with ratios of 41.6(8)\% and 58.4(8)\%, respectively. A half-life of $t_{1/2}=2157^{+53}_{-49}$ ms has been measured for the $J^π=9^+$ isomer from $γ$-ray time decay analysis. Based on this result, we provide a new value of the half-life for the $J^π=0^+$ ground state of $^{70}$Br, $t_{1/2}=78.42\pm0.51$ ms, which is slightly more precise, and in excellent agreement, with the best measurement reported hitherto in the literature. For this decay, we provide the first estimate of the total branching fraction decaying through the $2^+_1$ state in the daughter nucleus $^{70}$Se, $R(2^+_1)=1.3\pm1.1\%$. We also report four new low-intensity $γ$-ray transitions at 661, 1103, 1561, and 1749 keV following the $β$ decay of the $J^π=9^+$ isomer. Based on their coincidence relationships, we tentatively propose two new excited states at 3945 and 4752 keV in $^{70}$Se with most probable spins and parities of $J^π=(6^+)$ and $(8^+)$, respectively. The observed structure is interpreted with the help of shell-model calculations, which predict a complex interplay between oblate and prolate configurations at low excitation energies.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2017

Reversed Crystal-Field Splitting and Spin-Orbital Ordering in $α$-Sr$_2$CrO$_4$

The origin of successive phase transitions observed in the layered perovskite $α$-Sr$_2$CrO$_4$ is studied by the density-functional-theory-based electronic structure calculation and mean-field analysis of the proposed low-energy effective model. We find that, despite the fact that the CrO$_6$ octahedron is elongated along the $c$-axis of the crystal structure, the crystal-field level of nondegenerate $3d_{xy}$ orbitals of the Cr ion is lower in energy than that of doubly degenerate $3d_{yz}$ and $3d_{xz}$ orbitals, giving rise to the orbital degrees of freedom in the system with a $3d^2$ electron configuration. We show that the higher (lower) temperature phase transition is caused by the ordering of the orbital (spin) degrees of freedom.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Proton-proton correlations in distinguishing the two-proton emission mechanism of $^{23}$Al and $^{22}$Mg

The proton-proton momentum correlation functions ($C_{pp}(q)$) for kinematically complete decay channels of $^{23}$Al $\rightarrow$ p + p + $^{21}$Na and $^{22}$Mg $\rightarrow$ p + p + $^{20}$Ne have been measured at the RIKEN RI Beam Factory. From the very different correlation strength of $C_{pp}(q)$ for $^{23}$Al and $^{22}$Mg, the source size and emission time information were extracted from the $C_{pp}(q)$ data by assuming a Gaussian source profile in the correlation function calculation code (CRAB). The results indicated that the mechanism of two-proton emission from $^{23}$Al was mainly sequential emission, while that of $^{22}$Mg was mainly three-body simultaneous emission. By combining our earlier results of the two-proton relative momentum and the opening angle, it is pointed out that the mechanism of two-proton emission could be distinguished clearly.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2016

Identifying a descriptor for d-orbital delocalization in cathodes of Li batteries based on x-ray Compton scattering

We discuss how x-ray Compton scattering spectra can be used for investigating the evolution of electronic states in cathode materials of Li batteries under the lithiation/delithiation process. In particular, our analysis of the Compton spectra taken from polycrystalline LixCoO2 samples shows that the spectra are dominated by the contribution of the O-2p redox orbital. We identify a distinct signature of d-orbital delocalization, which is tied directly to the conductivity of the material, providing a descriptor based on Compton spectra for monitoring the lithiation range with improved conductivity and kinetics for electrochemical operation. Our study demonstrates that Compton scattering spectroscopy can provide a window for probing complex electronic mechanisms underlying the charging and discharging processes in Li-battery materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

New neutron-deficient isotopes from $^{78}$Kr fragmentation

In an experiment with the BigRIPS separator at the RIKEN Nishina Center, the fragmentation of a $^{78}$Kr beam allowed the observation of new neutron-deficient isotopes at the proton drip-line. Clean identification spectra could be produced and $^{63}$Se, $^{67}$Kr, and $^{68}$Kr were identified for the first time. In addition, $^{59}$Ge was also observed. Three of these isotopes, $^{59}$Ge, $^{63}$Se, and $^{67}$Kr, are potential candidates for ground-state two-proton radioactivity. In addition, the isotopes $^{58}$Ge, $^{62}$Se, and $^{66}$Kr were also sought but without success. The present experiment also allowed the determination of production cross sections for some of the most exotic isotopes. These measurements confirm the trend already observed that the empirical parameterization of fragmentation cross sections, EPAX, significantly overestimates experimental cross sections in this mass region.

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