Experimental Investigation of the Nuclear Structure in the Neutron-Rich 180Hf

Abstract

The structure of 180 Hf (Z = 72) is of particular interest, as the nucleus features a rotational ground state band, but also several other collective bands, K-isomers, and non-band members, which are generally poorly known. This work features preliminary results from a recent experimental campaign at IFIN-HH, Romania, aimed at measuring lifetimes of excited states in the neutron-rich 180 Hf, by means of the RDDS technique. The 181 Ta( 11 B, 12 C) 180 Hf proton pick-up reaction was used to populate excited states in the 180 Hf nucleus. The γ transitions depopulating these levels were detected using the ROSPHERE array, in its 25 HPGe configuration. The array was coupled to the SOR-CERER particle detector and a plunger device enabling the study of p-γ and p-γ-γ coincident events. Six plunger distances were chosen, allowing for the construction of the decay curves of the observed γ transitions, from which the lifetimes of the levels of interest can subsequently be deduced.