ABSTRACT
The energies of the excited states in very neutron-rich (42)Si and (41,43)P have been measured using in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy from the fragmentation of secondary beams of (42,44)S at 39A MeV. The low 2(+) energy of (42)Si, 770(19) keV, together with the level schemes of (41,43)P, provides evidence for the disappearance of the Z=14 and N=28 spherical shell closures, which is ascribed mainly to the action of proton-neutron tensor forces. New shell model calculations indicate that (42)Si is best described as a well-deformed oblate rotor.
ABSTRACT
The reduced transition probabilities B(E2;0(+) --> 2(+)(1)) of the neutron-rich (74)Zn and (70)Ni nuclei have been measured by Coulomb excitation in a (208)Pb target at intermediate energy. These nuclei have been produced at Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds via interactions of a 60A MeV (76)Ge beam with a Be target. The B(E2) value for (70)Ni(42) is unexpectedly large, which indicates that neutrons added above N=40 strongly polarize the Z=28 proton core. In the Zn isotopic chain, the steep rise of B(E2) values beyond N=40 continues up to (74)Zn(44). The enhanced proton core polarization in (70)Ni is attributed to the monopole interaction between the neutron in the g(9/2) and protons in the f(7/2) and f(5/2) spin-orbit partner orbitals. This interaction could result in a weakening of magicity in (78)Ni(50).
ABSTRACT
The neutron-rich (66,68)Ni have been produced at GANIL via interactions of a 65.9A MeV 70Zn beam with a 58Ni target. Their reduced transition probability B(E2;0(+)(1)-->2+) has been measured for the first time by Coulomb excitation in a (208)Pb target at intermediate energy. The B(E2) value for (68)Ni(40) is unexpectedly small. An analysis in terms of large scale shell model calculations stresses the importance of proton core excitations to reproduce the B(E2) values and indicates the erosion of the N = 40 harmonic-oscillator subshell by neutron-pair scattering.
