L. P. Gaffney
A5058422311- Nuclear physics research studies
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Astronomical and nuclear sciences
- Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions
- Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineering
- Advanced Chemical Physics Studies
- X-ray Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Analysis
- Rare-earth and actinide compounds
- Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
- Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research
- Advanced NMR Techniques and Applications
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Superconducting Materials and Applications
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Applications
- Nuclear Materials and Properties
- Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
- Particle accelerators and beam dynamics
- Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena
- Chemical Thermodynamics and Molecular Structure
- Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
University of Liverpool
2015-2025
European Organization for Nuclear Research
2018-2023
KU Leuven
2014-2023
University of the West of Scotland
2015-2023
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro
2023
Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
2015-2022
Institute of Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2019
Slovak Academy of Sciences
2019
Daresbury Laboratory
2019
University of Padua
2019
Proton-<a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><a:mi>γ</a:mi></a:math> coincidences from <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><b:mrow><b:mo>(</b:mo><b:mi>d</b:mi><b:mo>,</b:mo><b:mi>p</b:mi><b:mo>)</b:mo></b:mrow></b:math> reactions between a <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><c:mmultiscripts><c:mi>Ni</c:mi><c:mprescripts/><c:none/><c:mn>66</c:mn></c:mmultiscripts></c:math> beam and deuterated polyethylene target have been analyzed with the...
The Miniball germanium detector array has been operational at the REX (Radioactive ion beam EXperiment) post accelerator Isotope Separator On-Line facility ISOLDE CERN since 2001. During last decade, a series of successful Coulomb excitation and transfer reaction studies have performed with this array, utilizing unique high-quality radioactive beams which are available ISOLDE. In article, an overview is given technical details full setup, including description $\gamma$ -ray particle...
Coulomb-excitation experiments to study electromagnetic properties of radioactive even-even Hg isotopes were performed with $2.85\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}\text{ }\mathrm{mercury}$ beams from REX-ISOLDE. Magnitudes and relative signs the reduced $E2$ matrix elements that couple ground state low-lying excited states in $^{182\ensuremath{-}188}\mathrm{Hg}$ extracted. Information on deformation first ${0}^{+}$ was deduced using quadrupole sum rules approach. Results show is slightly...
Abstract Resonant laser ionization and spectroscopy are widely used techniques at radioactive ion beam facilities to produce pure beams of exotic nuclei measure the shape, size, spin electromagnetic multipole moments these nuclei. However, in such measurements it is difficult combine a high efficiency with spectral resolution. Here we demonstrate on-line application atomic supersonic gas jet, technique suited for high-precision studies ground- isomeric-state properties located extremes...
The mean-square charge radii of $^{207,208}\mathrm{Hg}$ ($Z=80$, $N=127$, 128) have been studied for the first time and those $^{202,203,206}\mathrm{Hg}$ ($N=122$, 123, 126) remeasured by application in-source resonance-ionization laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE (CERN). characteristic kink in $N=126$ neutron shell closure has revealed, providing information on its behavior below $Z=82$ proton closure. A theoretical analysis performed within relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov nonrelativistic...
Lead-208 is the heaviest known doubly magic nucleus and its structure therefore of special interest. Despite this magicity, which acts to provide a strong restorative force toward sphericity, it exhibit both octupole correlations some strongest quadrupole collectivity observed in systems. In Letter, we employ state-of-the-art experimental equipment conclusively demonstrate, through four Coulomb-excitation measurements, presence large, negative, spectroscopic moment for vibrational <a:math...
The neutron-rich nuclei 94,96Kr were studied via projectile Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility CERN. Level energies of first excited 2(+) states and their absolute E2 transition strengths to ground state are determined discussed in context E(2(1)(+)) B(E2;2(1)(+)→0(1)(+)) systematics krypton chain. Contrary previously published results no sudden onset deformation is observed. This experimental result supported by a new proton-neutron interacting boson model calculation based on...
There is sparse direct experimental evidence that atomic nuclei can exhibit stable "pear" shapes arising from strong octupole correlations. In order to investigate the nature of collectivity in radium isotopes, electric (E3) matrix elements have been determined for transitions ^{222,228}Ra using method sub-barrier, multistep Coulomb excitation. Beams radioactive isotopes were provided by HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The observed pattern E3 different nuclear explained describing ^{222}Ra as...
The neutron-deficient Hg isotopes have been a paradigm for nuclear shape coexistence. ground states of these nuclei exhibit striking structural differences from the neighboring Pb isotopes, and are very challenging to study experimentally. Here, new state-of-the-art data extend information on charge radii (and electromagnetic moments) lightest ever measured using laser spectroscopy. results suggest sudden decrease in deformation an end region ground-state staggering. These provide...
The first ${2}^{+}$ and ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ states of the doubly magic nucleus $^{132}\mathrm{Sn}$ are populated via safe Coulomb excitation employing recently commissioned HIE-ISOLDE accelerator at CERN in conjunction with highly efficient MINIBALL array. ions accelerated to an energy $5.49\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}$ impinged on a $^{206}\mathrm{Pb}$ target. Deexciting $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from low-lying excited target projectile recorded coincidence scattered...
Hyperfine-structure parameters and isotope shifts of $^{195--211}\mathrm{At}$ have been measured for the first time at CERN-ISOLDE, using in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy method. The hyperfine structures isotopes were recorded a triad experimental techniques monitoring photo-ion current. Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer, in connection with high-resolution electron multiplier, was used as an ion-counting setup that either affected by strong isobaric contamination...
Abstract New physics opportunities are opening up by the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array, AGATA, as it evolves to full 4 $$\pi $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> </mml:math> instrument. AGATA is a high-resolution $$\gamma <mml:mi>γ</mml:mi> -ray spectrometer, solely built from highly segmented high-purity Ge detectors, capable of measuring rays few tens keV beyond 10 MeV, with unprecedented efficiency, excellent position resolution for individual...
The spin-orbit splitting between neutron 1p orbitals at 33Si has been deduced using the single-neutron-adding (d,p) reaction in inverse kinematics with a beam of 32Si, long-lived radioisotope. Reaction products were analyzed by newly implemented SOLARIS spectrometer reaccelerated-beam facility National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. measurements show reasonable agreement shell-model calculations that incorporate modern cross-shell interactions, but they contradict prediction proton...
The neutron-deficient mercury isotopes, $^{184,186}$Hg, were studied with the Recoil Distance Doppler Shift (RDDS) method using Gammasphere array and K\"oln Plunger device. Differential Decay Curve Method (DDCM) was employed to determine lifetimes of yrast states in $^{184,186}$Hg. An improvement on previously measured values up $8^{+}$ is presented as well first for $9_{3}$ state $^{184}$Hg $10^{+}$ $^{186}$Hg. $B(E2)$ are calculated compared a two-state mixing model which utilizes variable...
Hyperfine-structure constants for the $6s{\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}}^{2}{S}_{1/2}$ and $6p{\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2}$ atomic states of ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}=11/{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ gold isomers $^{177,191,193,195}\mathrm{Au}^{m}$ have been measured at CERN-ISOLDE, using in-source laser resonance-ionization spectroscopy technique. From hyperfine differences between anomalies these deduced. These differential anomaly values used to determine $6s$-state relative stable...
Low-lying states in the isotope Xe130 were populated a Coulomb-excitation experiment performed at CERN's HIE-ISOLDE facility. The magnitudes and relative signs of seven E2 matrix elements one M1 element coupling five low-lying determined using semiclassical coupled-channel least-squares search code gosia. diagonal both 21+ 41+ extracted for first time. reduced transition strengths are line with those obtained from previous measurements. Experimental results compared general Bohr Hamiltonian...
Coulomb-excitation experiments are performed with postaccelerated beams of neutron-deficient $^{196,198,200,202}\mathrm{Po}$ isotopes at the REX-ISOLDE facility. A set matrix elements, coupling low-lying states in these isotopes, is extracted. In two heaviest $^{200,202}\mathrm{Po}$, transitional and diagonal elements ${2}_{1}^{+}$ state determined. $^{196,198}\mathrm{Po}$ multistep Coulomb excitation observed, populating ${4}_{1}^{+},\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}{0}_{2}^{+}$, ${2}_{2}^{+}$...
Single-neutron states in the Z=30, N=49 isotope 79Zn have been populated using 78Zn(d, p)79Zn transfer reaction at REX-ISOLDE, CERN. The experimental setup allowed combined detection of protons ejected reaction, and γ rays emitted by 79Zn. analysis reveals that lowest excited lie approximately 1 MeV excitation, involve neutron orbits above N=50 shell gap. From γ-ray data proton angular distributions, characteristic amount momentum transferred, a 5/2+ configuration was assigned to state 983...
The in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) technique was applied on the $^{212--215}\mathrm{Ac}$ isotopes, produced at Leuven Isotope Separator On-Line (LISOL) facility by using in-gas-cell in-gas-jet methods. first application under on-line conditions of method showed a superior performance in terms selectivity, spectral resolution, efficiency comparison with method. Following analysis both experiments, magnetic-dipole moments for electric-quadrupole nuclear spins...
The nuclei below lead but with more than 126 neutrons are crucial to an understanding of the astrophysical r process in producing heavier A∼190. Despite their importance, structure and properties these remain experimentally untested as they difficult produce nuclear reactions stable beams. In a first exploration shell this region, neutron excitations ^{207}Hg have been probed using neutron-adding (d,p) reaction inverse kinematics. radioactive beam ^{206}Hg was delivered new ISOLDE Solenoidal...