Investigation of States Populated in the ¹⁰²Ru(p,t)¹⁰⁰Ru Two Neutron Transfer Reaction

The investigation herein studies the structure of ¹⁰⁰Ru via the two-neutron transfer reaction, ¹⁰²Ru(p,t)¹⁰⁰Ru, which was performed using the Q3D magnetic spectrograph at the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory in Garching, Germany. The experiment employed the use of a ¹⁰²Ru target which was bombarded with protons, resulting in the production of ¹⁰⁰Ru via the pick-up of two neutrons from the target. The removal of the pair of particles from the system offers a direct study of the neutron-pair properties of the states observed in the reaction, yielding unique spin parity information and, ergo, a more robust understanding of the structure of ¹⁰⁰Ru. The study of the excited states of ¹⁰⁰Ru extends further in another context, as it holds the potential to bolster the understanding of the double beta decay process of ¹⁰⁰Mo into the excited states of ¹⁰⁰Ru. In turn, the possibility of using the decay of ¹⁰⁰Mo as a probe for the neutrinoless double-beta-decay process is of great significance as it would shed light on the fundamental nature of neutrinos. This presentation will highlight the results from the analysis of the ¹⁰²Ru(p,t)¹⁰⁰Ru reaction, along with their significance for fundamental nuclear structure and implications pertaining to the neutrinoless double-beta-decay process.