arXiv subjects

Pierre-Michel Hillenbrand

Publications and source records attributed to Pierre-Michel Hillenbrand.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Precision masses of neutron-rich platinum and gold nuclei reveal enhanced $N=126$ shell strength below doubly-magic $^{208}$Pb

The heaviest stable nuclei in the universe owe their existence to quantum shell structure, the grouping of protons and neutrons into discrete energy levels separated by gaps. The largest known neutron shell gap in stable nuclei, at $N=126$, stabilizes doubly-magic $^{208}$Pb and is responsible for the characteristic abundance peak of heavy elements near gold and platinum produced by the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process). Whether this shell gap persists as protons are removed from lead is a question central to both nuclear structure and the modeling of heavy-element synthesis, yet it has remained unanswered due to the extraordinary difficulty of producing the relevant neutron-rich nuclei. Direct experimental knowledge in this region was essentially absent. Here we report the first precision mass measurements of $^{203,204}$Pt and $^{204,205,206}$Au, performed at GSI using a novel combination of Schottky and isochronous mass spectrometry in a heavy-ion storage ring. The $N=126$ isotones $^{204}$Pt and $^{205}$Au are more strongly bound than the extrapolated trend of the previously known mass surface by 403 and 464~keV, respectively, revealing an unexpectedly enhanced $N=126$ shell strength below doubly-magic $^{208}$Pb. Furthermore, the proton-neutron interaction strength exhibits a hitherto unobserved bifurcation at $N=126$ as protons are removed from $^{208}$Pb. Our results redefine the nuclear mass surface in the neutron-rich heavy-element region and provide direct experimental benchmarks for theoretical models whose extrapolations toward more exotic nuclei are essential for r-process nucleosynthesis calculations.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2024

Quantum Electrodynamics in Strong Electromagnetic Fields: Substate Resolved K$α$ Transition Energies in Helium-like Uranium

Using novel metallic magnetic calorimeter detectors at the CRYRING@ESR, we recorded X-ray spectra of stored and electron cooled helium-like uranium (U$^{90+}$) with an unmatched spectral resolution of close to 90 eV. This allowed for an accurate determination of the energies of all four components of the K$α$ transitions in U$^{90+}$. We find good agreement with state-of-the-art bound-state QED calculations for the strong-field regime. Our results do not support any systematic deviation between experiment and theory in helium-like systems, the presence of which was subject of intense debates in recent years.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2023

Absolute Doubly Differential Angular Sputtering Yields for 20 keV Kr+ on Polycrystalline Cu

We have measured the absolute doubly differential angular sputtering yield for 20 keV Kr+ impacting a polycrystalline Cu slab at an incidence angle of θi = 45° relative to the surface normal. Sputtered Cu atoms were captured using collectors mounted on a half dome above the sample, and the sputtering distribution was measured as a function of the sputtering polar, θs, and azimuthal, phi, angles. Absolute results of the sputtering yield were determined from the mass gain of each collector, the ion dose, and the solid angle subtended, after irradiation to a total fluence of ~ 1 x 10^18 ions/cm^2. Our approach overcomes shortcomings of commonly used methods that only provide relative yields as a function of θs in the incidence plane (defined by the ion velocity and the surface normal). Our experimental results display an azimuthal variation that increases with increasing θs and is clearly discrepant with simulations using binary collision theory. We attribute the observed azimuthal anisotropy to ion-induced formation of micro- and nano-scale surface features that suppress the sputtering yield through shadowing and redeposition effects, neither of which are accounted for in the simulations. Our experimental results demonstrate the importance of doubly differential angular sputtering studies to probe ion sputtering processes at a fundamental level and to explore the effect of ion-beam-generated surface roughness.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Branching ratio for $\text{O}+\text{H}_3^+$ forming $\text{OH}^+ +\text{H}_2$ and $\text{H}_2\text{O}^+ +\text{H}$

The gas-phase reaction of $\mathrm{O}+\mathrm{H}_3^+$ has two exothermic product channels, $\mathrm{OH}^+ +\mathrm{H}_2$ and $\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O}^+ +\mathrm{H}$. In the present study, we analyze experimental data from a merged-beams measurement to derive thermal rate coefficients resolved by product channel for the temperature range from 10 to 1000 K. Published astrochemical models either ignore the second product channel or apply a temperature-independent branching ratio of 70% vs. 30% for the formation of $\mathrm{OH}^+ +\mathrm{H}_2$ vs. $\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O}^+ +\mathrm{H}$, respectively, which originates from a single experimental data point measured at 295 K. Our results are consistent with this data point, but show a branching ratio that varies with temperature reaching 58% vs. 42% at 10 K. We provide recommended rate coefficients for the two product channels for two cases, one where the initial fine-structure population of the O$(^3P_J)$ reactant is in its $J=2$ ground state and the other one where it is in thermal equilibrium.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2020

Towards experiments with highly charged ions at HESR

The atomic physic collaboration SPARC is a part of the APPA pillar at the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research. It aims for atomic-physics research across virtually the full range of atomic matter. A research area of the atomic physics experiments is the study of the collision dynamics in strong electro-magnetic fields as well as the fundamental interactions between electrons and heavy nuclei at the HESR. Here we give a short overview about the central instruments for SPARC experiments at this storage ring.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

The Magnetic Toroidal Sector as A broad-band Electron-Positron Pair Spectrometer I. Lepton Trajectories

We report an analysis of electron-optical properties of a toroidal magnetic sector spectrometer and examine parameters for its implementation in a relativistic heavy-ion storage ring like HESR. For studies of free-free pair production in heavy-ion atom collisions this spectrometer exhibits very high efficiencies for coincident $e^+e^-$ pair spectroscopy over a wide range of momenta of emitted lepton pairs. The high coincidence efficiency of the spectrometer is the key for stringent tests of theoretical predictions for the coincident positron- and electron- emission characteristics and for the phase space correlation of lepton vector momenta in free-free pair production.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

Experimental and theoretical studies of D + H$_3^+$ $\rightarrow$ H$_2$D$^+$ + H

Deuterated molecules are important chemical tracers of prestellar and protostellar cores. Up to now, the titular reaction has been assumed to contribute to the generation of these deuterated molecules. We have measured the merged-beams rate coefficient for this reaction as function of the relative collision energy in the range of about 10 meV to 10 eV. By varying the internal temperature of the reacting H$_3^+$ molecules, we found indications for the existence of a reaction barrier. We have performed detailed theoretical calculations for the zero-point-corrected energy profile of the reaction and determined a new value for the barrier height of $\approx$ 68 meV. Furthermore, we have calculated the tunneling probability through the barrier. Our experimental and theoretical results show that the reaction is essentially closed at astrochemically relevant temperatures. We derive a thermal rate coefficient of $<1\times 10^{-12}$ cm$^3$ s$^{-1}$ for temperatures below 75 K with tunneling effects included and below 155 K without tunneling.

astro-ph.IM↗