Spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei produced by multinucleon transfer reactions at KISS

¹ Wako Nuclear Science Center (WNSC), IPNS, KEK, Wako, Japan
² Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
³ Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
⁴ RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, Wako, Japan
⁵ Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
⁶ Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea
⁷ Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Kumatori, Japan

^* e-mail: yutaka.watanabe@kek.jp

Published online: 18 October 2024

Abstract

Properties such as lifetimes and masses of neutron-rich nuclei are key parameters for elucidating the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process (r-process). Due to the lack of experimental nuclear data in the relevant extremely neutron-rich region, especially near and above N = 126, the predictions of theoretical nuclear models are crucial for simulating r-process nucleosynthesis. Experimental studies of the properties and structures of neutron-rich nuclei from near the β stability line up to the r-process path provide important inputs to these theoretical models, improving the accuracy of predictions for the nuclear properties involved in the rprocess. We are developing the KEK Isotope Separation System (KISS) at the RIKEN RIBF facility to produce and separate these nuclei to perform spectroscopy experiments. The nuclei of interest are produced by multinucleon transfer reactions, which have been recently attracting renewed interest as they provide a way to access neutron-rich nuclei that are difficult to produce by other methods such as complete fusion or fragmentation. We have performed nuclear and laser spectroscopy, lifetime and mass measurements of neutron-rich nuclei of refractory elements near the N = 126 region using ^198,natPt, ^natTa, ^natW, and ^natIr targets irradiated with ¹³⁶Xe beams. We also extend our spectroscopic studies into the neutron-rich actinide region using ²³⁸U beams. This paper introduces the KISS facility and provides an overview of the nuclear spectroscopy experiments carried out there. We also introduce the KISS-1.5 project, which was started in FY2024 to further extend the research into the neutron-rich region.