J. Christie | Searcharxiv

arXiv2024

The evidence of $N=16$ shell closure and $β$-delayed neutron emission from $^{25}$F

We measured the $β$-delayed neutron emission from $^{25}$F for the first time at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Using combined neutron and $γ$-ray detector systems of the FRIB Decay Station Initiator (FDSi), we observed $β$-decay transitions populating neutron unbound states between 4.2 and 8 MeV in $^{25}$Ne. The experimental results led to the revision of the $β$-decay half-life and $β$-delayed neutron-emission probability of $^{25}$F. The $β$-decay strength distribution of $^{25}$F extracted from the data agrees with the shell-model predictions using the USDB and SDPF-M effective interactions. This result indicates that the spherical neutron $N = 16$ shell gap persists in $^{25}$F and $^{25}$Ne.

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arXiv2023

Microsecond Isomer at the N=20 Island of Shape Inversion Observed at FRIB

Excited-state spectroscopy from the first Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) experiment is reported. A 24(2)-$μ$s isomer was observed with the FRIB Decay Station initiator (FDSi) through a cascade of 224- and 401-keV $γ$ rays in coincidence with $^{32}\textrm{Na}$ nuclei. This is the only known microsecond isomer ($1{\text{ }μ\text{s}}\leq T_{1/2} < 1\text{ ms}$) in the region. This nucleus is at the heart of the $N=20$ island of shape inversion and is at the crossroads of spherical shell-model, deformed shell-model, and ab initio theories. It can be represented as the coupling of a proton hole and neutron particle to $^{32}\textrm{Mg}$, $^{32}\textrm{Mg}+π^{-1} + ν^{+1}$. This odd-odd coupling and isomer formation provides a sensitive measure of the underlying shape degrees of freedom of $^{32}\textrm{Mg}$, where the onset of spherical-to-deformed shape inversion begins with a low-lying deformed $2^+$ state at 885 keV and a low-lying shape-coexisting $0_2^+$ state at 1058 keV. We suggest two possible explanations for the 625-keV isomer in $^{32}$Na: a $6^-$ spherical shape isomer that decays by $E2$ or a $0^+$ deformed spin isomer that decays by $M2$. The present results and calculations are most consistent with the latter, indicating that the low-lying states are dominated by deformation.

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