Shape coexistence in $^{68}$Ni

ORAL

Abstract

$^{68}$Ni has been a focus of recent work aiming to understand the apparent rapid development of collectivity along neutron-rich $N=$40 nuclei, but despite many studies, is not entirely understood. The decay of the first excited 0$^{+}$ state in $^{68}$Ni was investigated at the NSCL. Ions of $^{68}$Co were implanted into a planar germanium double-sided strip detector (GeDSSD). The beta decay of $^{68}$Co populated the first excited 0$^{+}$ state in $^{68}$Ni and within hundreds of nanoseconds the decay of the first excited 0$^{+}$ state was measured in the GeDSSD. Both the energy of the first excited 0$^{+}$ state and the electric monopole transition strength from the first excited 0$^{+}$ state were precisely determined. Comparisons to Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations suggest shape coexistence between spherical ground and oblate first excited 0$^{+}$ states in $^{68}$Ni. The experimental results and theoretical interpretation will be presented.

Authors

  • S. Suchyta

    • MSU/NSCL
  • S. Liddick

    • MSU/NSCL
  • M. Bennet

    • MSU/NSCL
  • N. Larson

    • MSU/NSCL
  • C. Prokop

    • MSU/NSCL
  • S. Quinn

    • MSU/NSCL
  • A. Spyrou

    • MSU/NSCL
  • A. Chemey

    • NSCL
  • A. Simon

    • NSCL
  • T. Otsuka

    • MSU/NSCL/CNS/U of T
  • Y. Tsunoda

    • U of T
  • N. Shimizu

    • CNS/U of T
  • M. Honma

    • CMS/U of A
  • Y. Utsuno

    • JAEA
  • V. Tripath

    • FSU
  • J. VonMoss

    • FSU