Alpha-decay studies of the nuclides 195Rn and 196Rn

Abstract

The new neutron deficient nuclide 195 Rn and the nuclide 196 Rn have been produced in fusion evaporation reactions using 56 Fe ions on 142 Nd targets. A gas-filled recoil separator was used to separate the fusion products from the scattered beam. The activities were implanted in a position sensitive silicon detector. The isotopes were identified using spatial and time correlations between implants and decays. Two α decaying isomeric states, with E α = 7536 ( 11 ) keV [ T 1 / 2 = ( 6 + 3 − 2 ) ms ] for the ground state and E α = 7555 ( 11 ) keV [ T 1 / 2 = ( 5 + 3 − 2 ) ms ] for an isomeric state were identified in 195 Rn . In addition, the half-life and α decay energy of 196 Rn were measured with improved precision. The reduced widths deduced for the neutron deficient even-mass Rn isotopes suggest an onset of substantial deformation at N = 110.