A high resolution study of the structure and mass of Rhenium-190

Griffiths, Mark Richard ORCID: 0000-0002-2962-113X (2023). A high resolution study of the structure and mass of Rhenium-190. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The study of neutron-rich isotopes in the A ≈ 170 - 190 region of the nuclear chart is of interest due to their production in nuclear astrophysical processes, such as the rapid-neutron capture process, as well as due to this region containing large numbers of metastable nuclear isomers. In this thesis, a study of the structure of such an isotope, Rhenium-190, is detailed. An experiment was performed using the Q3D magnetic spectrograph at the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory (MLL) in Munich with the objectives of reducing the uncertainty in the atomic mass and analysing the nuclear energy levels of this isotope. This was achieved using the 192Os(d,α)190Re reaction with a polarised deuteron beam. The results demonstrate a reduction of the uncertainty of both the atomic mass and mass excess of 190Re from ± 70 keV to ± 5 keV. The energy of 57 states in the energy-level structure of 190Re were determined and are presented, although spin and parity configurations for these states could not confidently be assigned. This thesis also presents the design and results of an experiment investigating the properties of the positron and positronium, a bound state of a positron and an electron, for use in undergraduate laboratories. The results of this experiment matches theory and the set-up has subsequently been used as part of the third year undergraduate nuclear laboratory at the University of Birmingham.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):