arXiv subjects

M. Gerbaux

Publications and source records attributed to M. Gerbaux.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Island of Inversion in neutron-rich cobalt isotopes revealed from mass measurements

Mass measurements of the ground and isomeric states of $^{68-70}$Co have been performed using the JYFLTRAP Penning-trap mass spectrometer at the IGISOL facility. The masses were measured, either for the first time for the isomeric states of $^{68}$Co and $^{70}$Co, or with greatly improved precision for the others, removing ambiguities in the mass surface beyond $N=40$. The ordering of the low and high-spin states in $^{68}$Co and $^{70}$Co has also been established. The results, supported by Large-Scale Shell Model and Discrete Non-Orthogonal Shell-Model calculations, show a gradual lowering of intruder states with increasing neutron number, eventually leading to an inversion in $^{70}$Co. These findings clarify previously proposed contradictory interpretations. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of including induced effective 3N forces for a consistent description of binding energies in the island of inversion near $N=40$.

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arXiv2026

High-precision beam profile measurement with a microchannel-plate detector in the high magnetic field of the WISArD experiment

We present the development and characterization of a compact low-energy ion beam diagnostic for the WISArD (Weak Interaction Studies with $\mathrm{^{32}Ar}$ Decay) experiment at ISOLDE/CERN. The microchannel plate (MCP) detector, which is configured in a Z-stack and has a resistive position sensitive anode, was tested with both stable and radioactive beams. This work focuses on the image reconstruction method, which corrects the pincushion distortion inherent to the square-shaped resistive anode, and investigates the influence of the magnetic field on the detector performance. Our results demonstrate that the detector achieves beam profile measurements with sub-millimeter accuracy, while coping with the spatial and high-magnetic field (4 T) constraints of the experiment. These capabilities meet the precision requirements of the WISArD experiment for extracting the modified beta-neutrino angular correlation coefficient, ã$_{βν}$, with an uncertainty of 0.1%.

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arXiv2025

The beta decay of Tz=-2 64Se and its descendants: the T=2 isobaric multiplet

In this paper we present our results on the decay of 64Se. It is the heaviest Tz=-2 nucleus that both beta decays and has a stable mirror partner Tz=+2, thus allowing comparison with charge exchange reaction studies. The beta decays of 64Se and its descendants were studied at the RIKEN Nishina Center (Tokyo, Japan) following their production in the fragmentation of 78Kr on a beryllium target. Beta-delayed gamma-ray and particle radiation was identified for each of the nuclei in the decay chain allowing us to obtain decay schemes for 64Se, 64As, and 63Ge. Thus new excited states could be found for the descendant nuclei, including the interesting case of the N=Z nucleus 64Ge. Furthermore we observed for the first time the beta-delayed proton emission of 64Se and 64As. Based on these results we obtained proton branching ratios of 48.0(9)% in 64Se decay and 4.4(1)% in 64As decay. We obtained a half-life value of 22.5(6) ms for 64Se decay and half-lives slightly more precise than those in the literature for each nucleus involved in the decay chain. Using our results on the excited levels of 64As and the mass excess in the literature for 63Ge we obtained -39588(50) keV for the mass excess of 64As. Then based on the IMME we obtained the mass excess of -27429(88) keV for 64Se by extrapolation. The mirror process of 64Se beta decay, the charge exchange reaction 64Zn(3He,t)64Ga, has already been measured allowing us to study the mirror symmetry through the comparison of the weak force (beta decay) and strong force (charge exchange reaction). An interpretation of the decay schemes based on the idea of the Anti Analogue State is proposed.

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arXiv2025

Two-proton correlations in the decay of 48Ni and 45Fe

The main observables of the rare two-proton emission process - half-life, total energy of the decay as well as energy and angular correlations between the emitted protons - have been measured for 48Ni and 45Fe in a recent experiment performed at the GANIL/LISE3 facility. The results, together with previous experimental work, are compared for the first time with calculations performed in the recently developed Gamow Coupled-Channel (GCC) framework and to 3-body predictions from literature. The comparison of the 48Ni and the 45Fe two-proton angular distributions with the GCC calculations confirms the adopted strength of the proton-proton interaction for both nuclei and the predominant small-angle emission. A comparison with 3-body model angular distributions indicates the shell closure of the f_7/2 orbital for 48Ni and a substantial occupancy of the p-orbital for 45Fe. Discrepancies between experimental data and theoretical predictions are found when studying the other observables: half-lives, total energy of the decay and energy correlations, showing the complexity of the description of the two-proton emission process.

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arXiv2024

Binding energies, charge radii, spins and moments: odd-odd Ag isotopes and discovery of a new isomer

We report on the masses and hyperfine structure of ground and isomeric states in $^{114,116,118,120}$Ag isotopes, measured with the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique (PI-ICR) with the JYFLTRAP mass spectrometer and the collinear laser spectroscopy beamline at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility, Jyväskylä, Finland. We measured the masses and excitation energies, electromagnetic moments, and charge radii, and firmly established the nuclear spins of the long-lived states. A new isomer was discovered in $^{118}$Ag and the half-lives of $^{118}$Ag long-lived states were reevaluated. We unambiguously pinned down the level ordering of all long-lived states, placing the inversion of the $I = 0^-$ and $I = 4^+$ states at $A = 118$ $(N = 71)$. Lastly, we compared the electromagnetic moments of each state to empirical single-particle moments to identify the dominant configuration where possible.

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arXiv2024

First simultaneous measurement of the gamma-ray and neutron emission probabilities in inverse kinematics at a heavy-ion storage ring

The probabilities for gamma-ray and particle emission as a function of the excitation energy of a decaying nucleus are valuable observables for constraining the ingredients of the models that describe the de-excitation of nuclei near the particle emission threshold. These models are essential in nuclear astrophysics and applications. In this work, we have for the first time simultaneously measured the gamma-ray and neutron emission probabilities of 208Pb. The measurement was performed in inverse kinematics at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of the GSI/FAIR facility, where a 208Pb beam interacted through the 208Pb(p,p') reaction with a hydrogen gas jet target. Instead of detecting the gamma-rays and neutrons emitted by 208Pb, we detected the heavy beam-like residues produced after gamma and neutron emission. These heavy residues were fully separated by a dipole magnet of the ESR and were detected with outstanding efficiencies. The comparison of the measured probabilities with model calculations has allowed us to test and select different descriptions of the gamma-ray strength function and the nuclear level density available in the literature.

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arXiv2024

Isospin breaking in the $^{71}$Kr and $^{71}$Br mirror system

Isospin symmetry is a fundamental concept in nuclear physics. Even though isospin symmetry is partially broken, it holds approximately for most nuclear systems, which makes exceptions very interesting from the nuclear structure perspective. In this framework, it is expected that the spins and parities of the ground states of mirror nuclei should be the same, in particular for the simplest systems where a proton is exchanged with a neutron or vice versa. In this work, we present evidence that this assumption is broken in the mirror pair $^{71}$Br and $^{71}$Kr system. Our conclusions are based on a high-statistics $β$ decay study of $^{71}$Kr and on state-of-the-art shell model calculations. In our work, we also found evidence of a new state in $^{70}$Se, populated in the $β$-delayed proton emission process which can be interpreted as the long sought coexisting 0$^+$ state.

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arXiv2024

First measurement of the neutron-emission probability with a surrogate reaction in inverse kinematics at a heavy-ion storage ring

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections of short-lived nuclei are imperative to understand the origin of heavy elements in stellar nucleosynthesis and for societal applications, but their measurement is extremely complicated due to the radioactivity of the targets involved. One way of overcoming this issue is to combine surrogate reactions with the unique possibilities offered by heavy-ion storage rings. In this work, we describe the first surrogate-reaction experiment in inverse kinematics, which we successfully conducted at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of the GSI/FAIR facility, using the 208Pb(p,p') reaction as a surrogate for neutron capture on 207Pb. Thanks to the outstanding detection efficiencies possible at the ESR, we were able to measure for the first time the neutron-emission probability as a function of the excitation energy of 208Pb. We have used this probability to select different descriptions of the gamma-ray strength function and nuclear level density, and provide reliable results for the neutron-induced radiative capture cross section of 207Pb at energies for which no experimental data exist.

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arXiv2024

Precision mass measurements in the zirconium region pin down the mass surface across the neutron midshell at $N=66$

Precision mass measurements of $^{104}$Y, $^{106}$Zr, $^{104,104m,109}$Nb, and $^{111,112}$Mo have been performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility. The order of the long-lived states in $^{104}$Nb was unambiguously established. The trend in two-neutron separation energies around the $N=66$ neutron midshell appeared to be steeper with respect to the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020 extrapolations for the $_{39}$Y and $_{40}$Zr isotopic chains and less steep for the $_{41}$Nb chain, indicating a possible gap opening around $Z=40$. The experimental results were compared to the BSkG2 model calculations performed with and without vibrational and rotational corrections. All of them predict two low-lying minima for $^{106}$Zr. While the unaltered BSkG2 model fails to predict the trend in two-neutron separation energies, selecting the more deformed minima in calculations and removing the vibrational correction, the calculations are more in line with experimental data. The same is also true for the $2^+_1$ excitation energies and differences in charge radii in the Zr isotopes. The results stress the importance of improved treatment of collective corrections in large-scale models and further development of beyond-mean-field techniques.

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arXiv2023

Binding energies of ground and isomeric states in neutron-rich ruthenium isotopes: measurements at JYFLTRAP and comparison to theory

We report on precision mass measurements of $^{113,115,117}$Ru performed with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Accelerator Laboratory of University of Jyväskylä. The phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique was used to resolve the ground and isomeric states in $^{113,115}$Ru and enabled for the first time a measurement of the isomer excitation energies, $E_x(^{113}$Ru$^{m})=100.5(8)$ keV and $E_x(^{115}$Ru$^{m})=129(5)$ keV. The ground state of $^{117}$Ru was measured using the time-of-flight ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The new mass-excess value for $^{117}$Ru is around 36 keV lower and 7 times more precise than the previous literature value. With the more precise ground-state mass values, the evolution of the two-neutron separation energies is further constrained and a similar trend as predicted by the BSkG1 model is obtained up to the neutron number $N=71$.

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arXiv2023

$β^-$ decay $Q$-value measurement of $^{136}$Cs and its implications to neutrino studies

The $β^-$ decay $Q$-value of $^{136}$Cs ($J^π= 5^+$, $t_{1/2} \approx 13$~days) was measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap setup at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The mono-isotopic samples required in the measurements were prepared with a new scheme utilised for the cleaning, based on the coupling of dipolar excitation with Ramsey's method of time-separated oscillatory fields and the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. The $Q$ value is determined to be 2536.83(45) keV, which is $\sim$4 times more precise and 11.4(20) keV ($\sim$ 6$σ$) smaller than the adopted value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation AME2020. The daughter, $^{136}$Ba, has a 4$^+$ state at 2544.481(24) keV and a $3^-$ state at 2532.653(23) keV, both of which can potentially be ultralow $Q$-value end-states for the $^{136}$Cs decay. With our new ground-to-ground state $Q$ value, the decay energies to these two states become -7.65(45) keV and 4.18(45) keV, respectively. The former is confirmed to be negative at the level of $\sim$ 17$σ$, which verifies that this transition is not a suitable candidate for neutrino mass determination. On the other hand, the slightly negative $Q$ value makes this transition an interesting candidate for the study of virtual $β$-$γ$ transitions. The decay to the 3$^{-}$ state is validated to have a positive low $Q$ value which makes it a viable candidate for neutrino mass determination. For this transition, we obtained a shell-model-based half-life estimate of $2.1_{-0.8}^{+1.6}\times10^{12}$ yr.

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arXiv2022

Odd-odd neutron-rich rhodium isotopes studied with the double Penning trap JYFLTRAP

Precision mass measurements of neutron-rich rhodium isotopes have been performed at the JYFLTRAP Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. We report results on ground- and isomeric-state masses in $^{110,112,114,116,118}$Rh and the very first mass measurement of $^{120}$Rh. The isomeric states were separated and measured for the first time using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. For $^{112}$Rh, we also report new half-lives for both the ground state and the isomer. The results are compared to theoretical predictions using the BSkG1 mass model and discussed in terms of triaxial deformation.

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arXiv2022

Beta decay of the very neutron-deficient $^{60}$Ge and $^{62}$Ge nuclei

We report here the results of a study of the $β$ decay of the proton-rich Ge isotopes, $^{60}$Ge and $^{62}$Ge, produced in an experiment at the RIKEN Nishina Center. We have improved our knowledge of the half-lives of $^{62}$Ge (73.5(1) ms), $^{60}$Ge (25.0(3) ms) and its daughter nucleus, $^{60}$Ga (69.4(2) ms). We measured individual $β$-delayed proton and $γ$ emissions and their related branching ratios. Decay schemes and absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths have been determined. The mass excesses of the nuclei under study have been deduced. A total $β$-delayed proton-emission branching ratio of 67(3)% has been obtained for $^{60}$Ge. New information has been obtained on the energy levels populated in $^{60}$Ga and on the 1/2$^-$ excited state in the $βp$ daughter $^{59}$Zn. We extracted a ground state to ground state feeding of 85.3(3)% for the decay of $^{62}$Ge. Eight new $γ$ lines have been added to the de-excitation of levels populated in the $^{62}$Ga daughter.

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arXiv2020

Simultaneous Measurements of the Beta Neutrino Angular Correlation in $^{32}$Ar Pure Fermi and Pure Gamow-Teller Transitions using Beta-Proton Coincidences

We report first time measurements of the beta-neutrino angular correlation based on the kinetic energy shift of protons emitted in parallel or anti-parallel directions with respect to the positron in the beta decay of $^{32}$Ar. This proof of principle experiment provided simultaneous measurements for the superallowed 0$^+$~$\rightarrow$~0$^+$ transition followed by a 3356~keV proton emission and for a Gamow-Teller transition followed by a 2123~keV proton emission. The results, respectively ${\tilde a_{βν}}=1.01(3)_{(stat)}(2)_{(syst)}$ and ${\tilde a_{βν}}=-0.22(9)_{(stat)}(2)_{(syst)}$, are found in agreement with the Standard Model. A careful analysis of the data shows that future measurements can reach a precision level of 10$^{-3}$ for both pure Fermi and pure Gamow-Teller decay channels, providing new constraints on both scalar and tensor weak interactions.

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arXiv2020

Precision efficiency calibration of a high-purity co-axial germanium detector at low energies

Following work done in the energy region above 100 keV, the high-precision calibration of a co-axial high-purity germanium detector has been continued in the energy region below 100 keV. Previous measurements or Monte-Carlo simulations have been repeated with higher statistics and new source measurements have been added. A precision as in the high-energy part, i.e. an absolute precision for the detection efficiency of 0.2%, has been reached. The low-energy behaviour of the germanium detector was further scrutinized by studying the germanium X-ray escape probability for the detection of low-energy photons. In addition, one experimental point, a gamma ray at 2168 keV from the decay of 38K, has been included for the total-to-peak ratios agreeing well with simulations. The same gamma ray was also added for the single- and double-escape probabilities. Finally, the long term stability of the efficiency of the germanium detector was investigated by regularly measuring the full-energy peak efficiency with a precisely calibrated 60Co source and found to be perfectly stable over a period of 10 years.

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arXiv2020

Branching ratio of the super-allowed beta decay of 10C

In an experiment performed at the ISOLDE facility of CERN, the super-allowed beta-decay branching ratio of 10C was determined with a high-precision single-crystal germanium detector. In order to evaluate the contribution of the pile-up of two 511 keV gamma quanta to one of the gamma-ray peaks of interest at 1021.7 keV, data were not only taken with 10C, but also with a 19Ne beam. The final result for the super-allowed decay branch is 1.4638(50)%, in agreement with the average from literature.

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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.

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arXiv2016

Observation of the 2$^+$ isomer in $^{52}$Co

We report the first observation of the 2$^+$ isomer in $^{52}$Co, produced in the $β$ decay of the 0$^+$, $^{52}$Ni ground state. We have observed three $γ$-rays at 849, 1910, and 5185 keV characterizing the $β$ de-excitation of the isomer. We have measured a half-life of 102(6) ms for the isomeric state. The Fermi and Gamow-Teller transition strengths for the $β$ decay of $^{52m}$Co to $^{52}$Fe have been determined. We also add new information on the $β$ decay of the 6$^+$, $^{52}$Co ground state, for which we have measured a half-life of 112(3) ms.

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