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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.

The pre- and post-scission neutron multiplicities are measured for the fission of 208Rn, populated with the reactions 30Si + 178 Hf and 48Ti + 160 Gd in the excitation energy range of 54.5 - 80.8 MeV. We found significant differences in the pre-scission neutron multiplicities of these two systems. Also, both the reactions exhibit an enhancement in the pre-scission multiplicity with respect to the existing data for the 16O + 194 Pt reaction populating 210Rn. The measured multiplicities are compared with the theoretical predictions obtained from the Langevin dynamical model for fission. Dynamical simulations are also performed to estimate the capture cross-sections. Contribution of the neutrons, emitted during the fusion process, is shown to be crucial in determining the neutron multiplicities for the present systems. Moreover, in case of the 48Ti + 160 Gd reaction, rapid quasi-fission dynamics prevents neutron emission from the thermalized target-projectile composite. The present measurement helps us to understand the relative importance of fusion and quasi-fission processes and their timescales depending on the entrance channel mass asymmetry.

Isotopic 121Sb targets with 197 Au backing have been prepared by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) method using the diffusion pump based coating unit at target laboratory, Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India. The target thickness was measured by stylus profilo-meter and the purity of the targets was investigated by Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA). One of these targets has been used in an experiment which was performed at IUAC for nuclear structure study through fusion evaporation reaction. The excitation function of the 121Sb(12C, y x n γ ) reaction has been performed for energies 58 to 70 MeV in steps of 4 MeV. The experimental results were compared with the calculations of statistical models : PACE4 and CASCADE. The methods adopted to achieve best quality foils and good deposition efficiency are reported in this paper.

The low-lying negative parity states in the 133Ba nucleus have been investigated using the 124Sn(13C, 4nγ)133Ba reaction at E l a b = 48 MeV. With the addition of new γ-transitions, n ω = 0 , 1 , 2 wobbling bands were identified in this nucleus. The angular correlations and linear polarization measurements have been performed to confirm the spin and parity of the states. Predominant E2 character was obtained for the inter-linking Δ I = 1 transitions between the successive phonon ( Δ n ω = 1 ) wobbling bands. The transverse nature of the wobbling bands is concluded on the basis of observed decreasing behavior of the wobbling frequency with increasing spin. The quasiparticle triaxial rotor model calculations are found to be in agreement with the experimentally determined wobbling frequency and the transition probability ratios. This letter reports the first observation of transverse wobbling mode associated with a hole-like quasiparticle.

The intermediate and high-spin states of the $^{134}\mathrm{Ba}$ nucleus have been investigated up to spin ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}=({20}^{\ensuremath{-}})$ using the $^{124}\mathrm{Sn}(^{13}\mathrm{C}, 3n)^{134}\mathrm{Ba}$ reaction at a beam energy of 48 MeV. The ${R}_{\mathrm{DCO}}$ and polarization asymmetry measurements were carried out to assign the spin and parity of the levels. Three ($\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}I=2$) negative parity bands were studied above the 1985.9 keV level having spin ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={5}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. The two quasiparticle $\ensuremath{\nu}[{h}_{11/2}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}({s}_{1/2}/{d}_{3/2})]$ configuration has been assigned to these bands based on the systematics of the $\mathrm{Ba}$ (even-$N$) isotopes and similarity in the behavior of signature splitting and $B(M1)/B(E2)$ ratios. Further, two ($\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}I=1$) dipole bands have also been observed starting at the 5677.9 and 5284.5 keV levels with spin ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={14}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${15}^{+}$, respectively. The configuration of these bands was suggested from the systematics of the similar structure in the neighboring nuclei. Tilted axis cranking (TAC) calculations were carried out using the four quasiparticle $\ensuremath{\pi}[{h}_{11/2}({g}_{7/2}/{d}_{5/2})]\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\nu}{[{h}_{11/2}]}^{2}$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}[{h}_{11/2}({g}_{7/2}/{d}_{5/2})]\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\nu}[{h}_{11/2}{d}_{3/2}]$ configurations for bands D1 and D2, respectively. The TAC calculations and systematic studies of similar structures in the neighboring $N=78$ isotones suggest that the dipole band (D1) observed at 5677.9 keV level may have the magnetic rotation character.

A semiclassical (SC) approach is proposed to calculate the B(M1) transition rates in the band-crossing region of two magnetic rotational (MR) bands. In the present work, a geometry is suggested for the shear blades to govern its behaviour during the band-crossing. In the crossing region, gradual alignment of two nucleons is responsible for the crossing behaviour and it must give a quantised resultant angular momentum. As an example, it is successfully implemented for the MR bands in the mass $$A=110$$ and $$A=200$$ regions. A good agreement of the present semiclassical calculations with the experimental values is presented and furthermore, it is seen that the present proposal is also helpful to see the core contribution in the MR phenomenon.

Background: It is a well established fact that nuclear deformation and vibration influence fusion dynamics around the Coulomb barrier. This effect was observed for several systems with the inclusion of inelastic excitations in coupled-channels calculations. Sub-barrier fusion cross sections were also observed to be affected by neutron transfer in systems carrying positive $Q$ value for transfer channels. However, recent experimental analysis with a few systems showed that inelastic excitations are enough to explain the sub-barrier fusion behavior, and no effect was noticed due to positive $Q$-value transfer channels.Purpose: The motivation behind present investigation is to explore the effects of colliding nuclei structure and the transfer channel on enhancement of sub-barrier fusion cross sections.Method: An experiment was performed with Heavy Ion Reaction Analyzer (HIRA) at New Delhi to measure the fusion cross sections for $^{28}\mathrm{Si}+^{92,96}\mathrm{Zr}$ systems. These cross sections were later compared with quantum mechanical coupled-channels calculations. In order to explore the effects of nuclear deformation on fusion cross sections, the present data were compared with those of other researchers on fusion who have used various projectiles of different structural properties on a $^{96}\mathrm{Zr}$ target.Results: Experimental fusion cross sections have been extracted around the Coulomb barrier. In the coupled-channels framework, inclusion of inelastic excitations of both projectile $(^{28}\mathrm{Si})$ and targets $(^{92,96}\mathrm{Zr})$ could reproduce the experimental cross sections around the Coulomb barrier, but they deviated substantially in the sub-barrier region. This indicates that positive $Q$-value neutron transfer channels may need to be included in the calculations to reproduce the experimental cross sections at sub-barrier energies.Conclusions: The nuclear structure of interacting nuclei has a strong influence on sub-barrier fusion enhancement. The effect of multineutron transfer channels was observed to be significant for fusion, especially for those systems where interacting nuclei are less deformed or spherical.

Negative parity high-spin states of 107Cd have been investigated using the reaction 94Zr(18O,5n), from the γ -ray coincidence events recorded by the Indian National Gamma Array. A magnetic dipole (M1) band structure was established for the first time in this nucleus decaying to the low-spin states via several paths. Lifetimes of five in-band levels in this band have been measured using the Doppler shift attenuation method. The experimentally deduced B(M1) values are found to decrease with increasing spin. The experimental observations, interpreted by the tilted axis cranking calculations, suggest that the M1 band is developed from the shears mechanism based on the 5qp configuration π (g−2 9/2) ⊗ ν(h11/2g 7/2), which is then crossed by another 5qp configuration π (g−2 9/2) ⊗ ν(h11/2). The semiclassical model of the shears mechanism also reasonably reproduces the decreasing trend of the observed B(M1) values as a function of spin, supporting the above interpretation. The present work highlights the unique coexistence of both magnetic and antimagnetic (observed by us earlier) rotation bands in one nucleus arising from the same proton configuration, but different neutron configurations.