Identification of a millisecond isomeric state in ¹²⁹Cd₈₁ via the detection of internal conversion and Compton electrons

Abstract

The decay of an isomeric state in the neutron-rich nucleus 129 Cd has been observed via the detection of internal conversion and Compton electrons providing first experimental information on excited states in this nucleus. The isomer was populated in the projectile fission of a 238 U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. From the measured yields of γ -rays and internal conversion electrons, a multipolarity of E 3 was tentatively assigned to the isomeric transition. A half-life of T1/2=3.6(2) ms was determined for the new state which was assigned a spin of (21/2+) , based on a comparison to shell model calculations performed using state-of-the-art realistic effective interactions.