The neutron-rich nucleus 68Ni has received significant attention both theoretically and experimentally in previous years based on the expectation that it is located at a closed shell for both neutrons and protons, imparting it with additional stability compared to immediately neighboring nuclei.  Rapid changes in nuclear structure occur between 68Ni and the neutron-rich nuclei with atomic numbers less than 28 and neutron numbers near 40, highlighted by the inferred change in shape between spherical 68Ni and prolate-deformed isotonic 66Fe and 64Cr.  Recent experimental work on the beta decay of 68Co at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) has resolved a discrepancy in the low-energy level structure of 68Ni through electron spectroscopy.  The beta decay of 68Co, produced through the fragmentation of a 76Ge beam on a 9Be target, was used to populate 68Ni.  For the first time, ions of 68Co were implanted directly into an active planar germanium double-sided strip detector (GeDSSD), which was also used to detect the subsequent 68Co beta decays.  Beta-decay and conversion electrons were monitored in the planar GeDSSD and modern digital pulse processing techniques were required to differentiate between the two.  Delayed-photon transitions were observed in an ancillary photon array that surrounded the GeDSSD.  The re-interpretation of the low-energy level scheme of 68Ni and comparisons to theoretical calculations will be presented.

Electron spectroscopy of <sup>68</sup>Ni

246th National Meeting (2013)

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Electron spectroscopy of 68Ni

Electron spectroscopy of ⁶⁸Ni