Next-Generation Radiation Detectors in Experiments with Spin-Oriented Exotic Nuclei

Exciting new opportunities for experiments with beta-decaying atomic nuclei have arisen recently at CERN ISOLDE with the new spectroscopy station called DeVITO.

The novelty of the setup stems from its integration with the laser-polarisation beamline that induces spin orientation in radioactive ions or atoms.

This unique combination enables spectroscopy measurements with spin-oriented nuclei that emit radiation anisotropically.

The ability to exploit the directional distribution of radiation represents a significant advance over conventional beta-decay experiments, which, while benefiting from the high angular-momentum selectivity of the decay process, constantly struggle to infer nuclear spins and parities unambiguously.

These crucial quantum numbers, essential for discussing complex phenomena observed in nuclei, can be inferred from experimental beta-decay asymmetries measured in coincidence with delayed radiation (gamma rays and/or neutrons) emitted from polarised nuclei.The RADESO project aims to acquire knowledge about the hitherto unknown or tentative quantum properties of the nuclear levels and radiation emitted from very neutron-rich nuclei.

One of the objectives is to incorporate next-generation spectrometers into the DeVITO to enhance the detection sensitivity for neutrons and gamma rays emitted from laser-polarised beams.

The RADESO project is targeted at experimental studies of very neutron-rich nuclei to provide robust experimental observables capable of benchmarking beta-decay calculations on a more fundamental level.

The main goal is to gain insight into the mechanism of beta-delayed neutron emission, which is the primary decay mode of exotic nuclei involved in one of the astrophysical processes responsible for the formation of about half of the chemical elements heavier than iron.