Subnanosecond Lifetime Measurements of Excited States in Nuclei Far from Stability

摘要

A system was developed to measure the lifetimes of nuclear states in the range of 0.05 to 1 nanosecond in nuclei far from stability. A Gerholm magnetic lens was placed on-line with the UNISOR mass separator to observe conversion electrons in coincidence with gamma rays detected in a plastic scintillator. With this system, the half-life of the 522 keV, O exp + level in exp 186 Hg was measured to be 155 +- 70 picoseconds. Improvements in this system should make possible on-line measurements of half-lives as short as approx. = 50 picoseconds. 12 references. (ERA citation 05:003818)