Enhancement of $B(E2)$ and low excitation of the second 0$^+$ state near N=40 in Ge isotopes

The $\gamma$-ray strength functions and level densities of $^{73,74}$Ge have been extracted up to the neutron separation energy S$_n$ from particle-$\gamma$ coincidence data using the Oslo method. Moreover, the $\gamma$-ray strength function of $^{74}$Ge above S$_n$ has been determined from photo-neutron measurements, hence these two experiments cover the range of E$_\gamma \approx$ 1-13 MeV for $^{74}$Ge. The obtained data show that both $^{73,74}$Ge display an increase in s...

Using deformed shell model based on Hartree-Fock intrinsic states with $^{70}$Zn as an example and employing two realistic effective interactions, namely jj44b that produces deformed shape and JUN45 that generates spherical shape, it is demonstrated that the $0\nu$ and $2\nu$ nuclear transition matrix elements for double beta decay will reduce considerably as we go from spherical shapes to deformed shapes. This result is further substantiated by using $^{150}$Nd as another ex...

The structure of the $N \approx Z$ nuclei $^{66}$Ge and $^{68}$Ge is studied by the shell model on a spherical basis. The calculations with an extended $P+QQ$ Hamiltonian in the configuration space ($2p_{3/2}$, $1f_{5/2}$, $2p_{1/2}$, $1g_{9/2}$) succeed in reproducing experimental energy levels, moments of inertia and $Q$ moments in Ge isotopes. Using the reliable wave functions, this paper investigates particle alignments and nuclear shapes in $^{66}$Ge and $^{68}$Ge. I...

The $^{80}$Ge structure was investigated in a high-statistics $\beta$-decay experiment of $^{80}$Ga using the GRIFFIN spectrometer at TRIUMF-ISAC through $\gamma$, $\beta$-$e$, $e$-$\gamma$ and $\gamma$-$\gamma$ spectroscopy. No evidence was found for the recently reported 0$_2^{+}$ 639-keV level suggested as evidence for low-energy shape coexistence in $^{80}$Ge. Large-scale shell model calculations performed in $^{78,80,82}$Ge place the $0^{+}_{2}$ level in $^{80}$Ge at 2\,...

The neutron-rich N=50 isotones 82Ge and 84Se were investigated using intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation on a 197Au target and inelastic scattering on 9Be. As typical for intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation with projectile energies exceeding 70 MeV/nucleon, only the first 2^+ states were excited in 82Ge and 84Se. However, in the inelastic scattering on a 9Be target, a strong population of the first 4^+ state was observed for 84Se, while there is no indication of a simil...

Magnetic dipole strength functions are determined for the series of germanium isotopes from $N = Z = 32$ to $N$ = 48 on the basis of a large number of transition strengths calculated within the shell model. The evolution of the strength with increasing neutron number in the $1g_{9/2}$ orbital is analyzed. A bimodal structure comprising an enhancement toward low transition enery and a resonance in the region of the scissors mode is identified. The low-energy enhancement is str...

Nuclei in the upper-$sd$ shell usually exhibit characteristics of spherical single particle excitations. In the recent years, employment of sophisticated techniques of gamma spectroscopy has led to observation of high spin states of several nuclei near A$\simeq$ 40. In a few of them multiparticle, multihole rotational states coexist with states of single particle nature. We have studied a few nuclei in this mass region experimentally, using various campaigns of the Indian Nat...

A novel shape evolution in the Sn isotopes by the state-of-the-art application of the Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations is presented in a unified way for the 100-138Sn isotopes. A large model space consisting of eight single-particle orbits for protons and neutrons is taken with the fixed Hamiltonian and effective charges, where protons in the 1g9/2 orbital are fully activated. While the significant increase of the B(E2; 0+1 -> 2+1) value, seen around 110Sn as a function o...

The calcium isotopes have emerged as an important testing ground for new microscopically derived shell-model interactions, and a great deal of focus has been directed toward this region. We investigate the relative spectroscopic strengths associated with $1f_{7/2}$ neutron hole states in $^{47, 49}$Ca following one-neutron knockout reactions from $^{48,50}$Ca. The observed reduction of strength populating the lowest 7/2$^{-}_{1}$ state in $^{49}$Ca, as compared to $^{47}$Ca, ...

We investigate the nature and impact of shell effects on nuclear level density (NLD) and particle emission probability as a function of temperature in a microscopic theoretical framework of Statistical Model for nuclei ranging from neutron deficient to neutron rich isotopes of Z$=$ 27$-$35. Critical temperatures are traced for neighbouring even, odd, closed shell and mid$-$shell nuclei which respond to excitations differently due to their varying stability and structural effe...