Dipole Resonances of $^{76}$Ge

Dipole resonances in $^{76}$Ge have been studied using the method of Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF). The experiment was performed using the Free Electron Laser facility at HI$\gamma$S/TUNL, which produced linearly polarised quasi-monoenergetic photons in the 4-9 MeV energy range. Photon strength, in particular dipole strength, is an important ingredient in nuclear reaction calculations, and recent interest in its study has been stimulated by observations of a pygmy dipole resonance near the neutron separation energy $S_n$ of certain nuclei. Furthermore, $^{76}$Ge is a candidate for $0\nu2\beta$-decay. The results are complimentary to a relevant experiment done at TU Darmstadt using Bremsstrahlung beams. Single-resonance parities and a preliminary estimate of the total photo-excitation cross section will be presented.