Proton spectroscopy of 48Ni, 46Fe, and 44Cr

TL;DR

This study uses a Time Projection Chamber to analyze decay processes of proton-rich nuclei near 48Ni, providing new measurements of decay energies, half-lives, and evidence for rare decay modes, enhancing understanding of nuclear structure.

Contribution

It introduces an advanced optical readout TPC for decay spectroscopy, enabling precise measurements and new decay mode evidence in proton-rich nuclei near 48Ni.

Findings

Measured 2p decay energy of 48Ni as 1.29(4) MeV.

Reported a new proton line at 760 keV in 44Cr decay.

Provided first evidence for ta2p decay of 46Fe.

Abstract

Results of decay spectroscopy on nuclei in vicinity of the doubly magic 48Ni are presented. The measurements were performed with a Time Projection Chamber with optical readout which records tracks of ions and protons in the gaseous volume. Six decays of 48Ni including four events of two-proton ground-state radioactivity were recorded. An advanced reconstruction procedure yielded the 2p decay energy for 48Ni of Q2p = 1.29(4) MeV. In addition, the energy spectra of \b{eta}-delayed protons emitted in the decays of 44Cr and 46Fe, as well as half-lives and branching ratios were determined. The results were found to be consistent with the previous measurements made with Si detectors. A new proton line in the decay of 44Cr corresponding to the decay energy of 760 keV is reported. The first evidence for the \b{eta}2p decay of 46 Fe, based on one clear event, is shown.