Decay width measurements of excited states in 14C

Various excited states in 14C, above the α-decay threshold, are believed to possess a geometric arrangement of three α-particles covalently bound by the two delocalised valence neutrons. The 12C(16O, 14O)14C* reaction was studied at a beam energy of 234 MeV, at the ISL facility at the Hahn-Meitner-Institut (HMI), Berlin. The 14O ejectile was detected by a Q3D spectrometer at forward angles. The energies and angles of the excited 14C recoil break-up fragments were measured in coincidence using a double sided silicon strip detector array comprised of four detectors at backwards angles. A complete kinematic reconstruction of the reaction was performed to reconstruct the 14C* → 10Be + α and 14C* → 13C + n decay channels and the branching ratios of these decays were calculated. Neutron emission was found to be favoured for the 12.96, 14.87, 16.72 and 18.6 MeV states. Evidence for α-decay was found for the 14.87, 18.6 and 21.4 MeV states; which are candidates for the three bodied molecular cluster structure of 14C.