Single Particle Configurations of the Excited States of $^{203}$Po

TL;DR

This study investigates the excited states of the isotope $^{203}$Po using gamma-ray spectroscopy and shell model calculations, identifying new transitions and assigning spins and parities to enhance understanding of its nuclear structure.

Contribution

The paper reports the discovery of twenty new gamma-ray transitions and provides detailed spin-parity assignments for $^{203}$Po, combining experimental data with shell model interpretations.

Findings

Twenty new gamma-ray transitions identified.

Spin-parity assignments confirmed or established for multiple states.

Excited states interpreted through shell model calculations.

Abstract

Excited states of the $^{203}$Po ($Z = 84, N = 119$) have been investigated after populating them through $^{194}$Pt($^{13}$C,4n) fusion-evaporation reaction at E$_{beam}$ = 74 MeV and using a large array of Compton suppressed HPGe clover detectors as the detection setup for the emitted $\gamma$-rays. Standard techniques of $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy have been applied towards establishing the level structure of the nucleus. Twenty new $\gamma$-ray transitions have been identified therein, through $\gamma-\gamma$ coincidence measurements, and spin-parity assignments of several states have been determined or confirmed, following the angular correlation and linear polarization measurements on the observed $\gamma$-rays. The excited states have been interpreted in the framework of large basis shell model calculations, while comparing their calculated and experimental energies. They have been principally ascribed to proton population in the $h_{9/2}$ and $i_{13/2}$ orbitals outside the $Z = 82$ closure and neutron occupation of the $f_{5/2}$, $p_{3/2}$ and $i_{13/2}$ orbitals in the $N = 126$ shell.