Lifetimes of Excited States in ⁷²Ge from Inelastic Neutron Scattering

This research was conducted on excited states of ⁷²Ge from inelastic neutron scattering using the Van de Graaff Particle Accelerator at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Lab (UKAL). The accelerator used a 4.0 MeV neutron beam, and a High-Purity Germanium detector was utilized to take measurements of gamma rays at various angles of detection. It utilized the Doppler-Shift Attenuation method to correlate lifetime values based on the detection angle and used a theoretical curve to determine the lifetime values of excited states in ⁷²Ge. The results include lifetime measurements from known ranges and expand on unrecorded lifetime values in the femtosecond region at various energy levels. The results of the research further the understanding of shape coexistence in Ge and also the studies of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ) phenomena. Future work will use the lifetime values to explore the nuclear structure of the Ge isotopic chain which will provide essential information for determining the neutrino mass necessary for (0νββ). The findings showcase the need for precise lifetime measurements to advance nuclear physics and related applications in fundamental particle research.