Speaker
Description
Excited reaction products from the $^{136}\text{Xe}$ + $^{208}\text{Pb}$ system at 1 GeV were investigated using the high-resolution $\gamma$-ray tracking array AGATA coupled to the mass spectrometer PRISMA at LNL, positioned at the grazing angle. For the beam-like fragments, energy $E$, atomic number $Z$, velocity $\beta$, charge state $q$, and mass number A were measured over the range $Z=52$-$58$, enabling a clean selection of the nuclei of interest. Kinematic coincidences were exploited to enhance the identification of the hard-to-reach neutron-rich lead isotopes on the target-like side. Mass-yield distributions have been extracted and compared with calculations from the GRAZING model for MNT reactions. Based on the relative cross-section systematics for different transfer channels, the capabilities and limitations for the production of the hard-to-reach neutron-rich isotopes with this experimental method will be discussed. In particular, neutron evaporation shifts the final isotope distribution towards less neutron-rich nuclei and therefore limits the experimental access to the most neutron-rich target-like products. Furthermore, delayed $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy of stopped target-like nuclei provides access to isomeric states populated in the transfer reaction. Results on excited states of beam-like nuclei in the Xe–Ba mass region will be discussed.