Restoration of the n=82 shell gap from direct mass measurements of 132,134Sn

Realistic shell model and nuclei around 132Sn

This contribution reports on a shell-model study of nuclei in the 132Sn region employing a realistic effective interaction derived from the CD-Bonn nucleon-nucleon potential renormalized through the use of the Vlow−k approach. We shall focus on some selected results for nuclei with a few valence particles and/or holes with respect to 132Sn, namely Sn isotopes with N > 82 and 130Te, which have, in part, been discussed in previous papers. Results are compared with experiments, and predictions that may provide guidance to future experiments are also discussed. It is the aim of this contribution to underline the importance of studying 132Sn neighbours to acquire a deep understanding of nuclear structure, that may be very useful also in other physics fields, and to show that the realistic shell model is a very effective tool to conduct these studies.

Proton Shell Evolution below ^{132}Sn: First Measurement of Low-Lying β-Emitting Isomers in ^{123,125}Ag

The β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy of neutron-rich ^{123,125}Ag isotopes is investigated at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory of RIKEN, and the long-predicted 1/2^{-} β-emitting isomers in ^{123,125}Ag are identified for the first time. With the new experimental results, the systematic trend of energy spacing between the lowest 9/2^{+} and 1/2^{-} levels is extended in Ag isotopes up to N=78, providing a clear signal for the reduction of the Z=40 subshell gap in Ag towards N=82. Shell-model calculations with the state-of-the-art V_{MU} plus M3Y spin-orbit interaction give a satisfactory description of the low-lying states in ^{123,125}Ag. The tensor force is found to play a crucial role in the evolution of the size of the Z=40 subshell gap. The observed inversion of the single-particle levels around ^{123}Ag can be well interpreted in terms of the monopole shift of the π1g_{9/2} orbitals mainly caused by the increasing occupation of ν1h_{11/2} orbitals.

Laser Spectroscopy of Neutron-Rich Tin Isotopes: A Discontinuity in Charge Radii across the N=82 Shell Closure

The change in mean-square nuclear charge radii δ⟨r^{2}⟩ along the even-A tin isotopic chain ^{108-134}Sn has been investigated by means of collinear laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE/CERN using the atomic transitions 5p^{2} ^{1}S_{0}→5p6 s^{1}P_{1} and 5p^{2} ^{3}P_{0}→5p6s ^{3}P_{1}. With the determination of the charge radius of ^{134}Sn and corrected values for some of the neutron-rich isotopes, the evolution of the charge radii across the N=82 shell closure is established. A clear kink at the doubly magic ^{132}Sn is revealed, similar to what has been observed at N=82 in other isotopic chains with larger proton numbers, and at the N=126 shell closure in doubly magic ^{208}Pb. While most standard nuclear density functional calculations struggle with a consistent explanation of these discontinuities, we demonstrate that a recently developed Fayans energy density functional provides a coherent description of the kinks at both doubly magic nuclei, ^{132}Sn and ^{208}Pb, without sacrificing the overall performance. A multiple correlation analysis leads to the conclusion that both kinks are related to pairing and surface effects.

Double-magic nature of 132Sn and 208Pb through lifetime and cross-section measurements

Single-neutron states in (133)Sn and (209)Pb, which are analogous to single-electron states outside of closed atomic shells in alkali metals, were populated by the ((9)Be, (8)Be) one-neutron transfer reaction in inverse kinematics using particle-γ coincidence spectroscopy. In addition, the s(1/2) single-neutron hole-state candidate in (131)Sn was populated by ((9)Be, (10)Be). Doubly closed-shell (132)Sn (radioactive) and (208)Pb (stable) beams were used at sub-Coulomb barrier energies of 3 MeV per nucleon. Level energies, γ-ray transitions, absolute cross sections, spectroscopic factors, asymptotic normalization coefficients, and excited-state lifetimes are reported and compared with shell-model expectations. The results include a new transition and precise level energy for the 3p(1/2) candidate in (133)Sn, new absolute cross sections for the 1h(9/2) candidate in (133)Sn and 3s(1/2) candidate in (131)Sn, and new lifetimes for excited states in (133)Sn and (209)Pb. This is the first report on excited-state lifetimes of (133)Sn, which allow for a unique test of the nuclear shell model and (132)Sn double-shell closure.

First results from the CARIBU facility: mass measurements on the r-process path

The Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer has made mass measurements of 33 neutron-rich nuclides provided by the new Californium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The studied region includes the 132Sn double shell closure and ranges in Z from In to Cs, with Sn isotopes measured out to A=135, and the typical measurement precision is at the 100 ppb level or better. The region encompasses a possible major waiting point of the astrophysical r process, and the impact of the masses on the r process is shown through a series of simulations. These first-ever simulations with direct mass information on this waiting point show significant increases in waiting time at Sn and Sb in comparison with commonly used mass models, demonstrating the inadequacy of existing models for accurate r-process calculations.

Spins, electromagnetic moments, and isomers of (107-129)Cd

The neutron-rich isotopes of cadmium up to the N=82 shell closure have been investigated by high-resolution laser spectroscopy. Deep-uv excitation at 214.5 nm and radioactive-beam bunching provided the required experimental sensitivity. Long-lived isomers are observed in (127)Cd and (129)Cd for the first time. One essential feature of the spherical shell model is unambiguously confirmed by a linear increase of the 11/2(-) quadrupole moments. Remarkably, this mechanism is found to act well beyond the h(11/2) shell.

Neutron single particle structure in 131Sn and direct neutron capture cross sections

Recent calculations suggest that the rate of neutron capture by (130)Sn has a significant impact on late-time nucleosynthesis in the r process. Direct capture into low-lying bound states is expected to be significant in neutron capture near the N=82 closed shell, so r-process reaction rates may be strongly impacted by the properties of neutron single particle states in this region. In order to investigate these properties, the (d,p) reaction has been studied in inverse kinematics using a 630 MeV beam of (130)Sn (4.8 MeV/u) and a (CD(2))(n) target. An array of Si strip detectors, including the Silicon Detector Array and an early implementation of the Oak Ridge Rutgers University Barrel Array, was used to detect reaction products. Results for the (130)Sn(d, p)(131)Sn reaction are found to be very similar to those from the previously reported (132)Sn(d, p)(133)Sn reaction. Direct-semidirect (n,γ) cross section calculations, based for the first time on experimental data, are presented. The uncertainties in these cross sections are thus reduced by orders of magnitude from previous estimates.

Precision mass measurements beyond 132Sn: anomalous behavior of odd-even staggering of binding energies

Atomic masses of the neutron-rich isotopes (121-128)Cd, (129,131)In, (130-135)Sn, (131-136)Sb, and (132-140)Te have been measured with high precision (10 ppb) using the Penning-trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. Among these, the masses of four r-process nuclei (135)Sn, (136)Sb, and (139,140)Te were measured for the first time. An empirical neutron pairing gap expressed as the odd-even staggering of isotopic masses shows a strong quenching across N = 82 for Sn, with a Z dependence that is unexplainable by the current theoretical models.

Mass measurements beyond the major r-process waiting point 80Zn

High-precision mass measurements on neutron-rich zinc isotopes (71m,72-81)Zn have been performed with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. For the first time, the mass of 81Zn has been experimentally determined. This makes 80Zn the first of the few major waiting points along the path of the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process where neutron-separation energy and neutron-capture Q-value are determined experimentally. The astrophysical conditions required for this waiting point and its associated abundance signatures to occur in r-process models can now be mapped precisely. The measurements also confirm the robustness of the N=50 shell closure for Z=30.