4D-imaging of drip-line radioactivity by detecting proton emission from 54mNi pictured with ACTAR TPC.

Proton radioactivity was discovered exactly 50 years ago. First, this nuclear decay mode sets the limit of existence on the nuclear landscape on the neutron-deficient side. Second, it comprises fundamental aspects of both quantum tunnelling as well as the coupling of (quasi)bound quantum states with the continuum in mesoscopic systems such as the atomic nucleus. Theoretical approaches can start either from bound-state nuclear shell-model theory or from resonance scattering. Thus, proton-radioactivity guides merging these types of theoretical approaches, which is of broader relevance for any few-body quantum system. Here, we report experimental measurements of proton-emission branches from an isomeric state in 54mNi, which were visualized in four dimensions in a newly developed detector. We show that these decays, which carry an unusually high angular momentum, ℓ = 5 and ℓ = 7, respectively, can be approximated theoretically with a potential model for the proton barrier penetration and a shell-model calculation for the overlap of the initial and final wave functions.

Development of gas jet targets for laser-plasma experiments at near-critical density.

Computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed to design gas nozzles, associated with a 1000 bars backing pressure system, capable of generating supersonic gas jet targets with densities close to the critical density for 1053 nm laser radiation (1021 cm-3). Such targets should be suitable for laser-driven ion acceleration at a high repetition rate. The simulation results are compared to the density profiles measured by interferometry, and characterization of the gas jet dynamics is performed using strioscopy. Proton beams with maximum energies up to 2 MeV have been produced from diatomic hydrogen gas jet targets in a first experiment.

Response functions of Fuji imaging plates to monoenergetic protons in the energy range 0.6-3.2 MeV.

We have measured the responses of Fuji MS, SR, and TR imaging plates (IPs) to protons with energies ranging from 0.6 to 3.2 MeV. Monoenergetic protons were produced with the 3.5 MV AIFIRA (Applications Interdisciplinaires de Faisceaux d'Ions en Région Aquitaine) accelerator at the Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG). The IPs were irradiated with protons backscattered off a tantalum target. We present the photo-stimulated luminescence response of the IPs together with the fading measurements for these IPs. A method is applied to allow correction of fading effects for variable proton irradiation duration. Using the IP fading corrections, a model of the IP response function to protons was developed. The model enables extrapolation of the IP response to protons up to proton energies of 10 MeV. Our work is finally compared to previous works conducted on Fuji TR IP response to protons.

Response functions of imaging plates to photons, electrons and 4He particles.

Imaging plates from Fuji (BAS-SR, MS, and TR types) are phosphor films routinely used in ultra high intensity laser experiments. However, few data are available on the absolute IP response functions to ionizing particles. We have previously measured and modeled the IP response functions to protons. We focus here on the determination of the responses to photons, electrons, and (4)He particles. The response functions are obtained on an energy range going from a few tens of keV to a few tens of MeV and are compared to available data. The IP sensitivities to the different ionizing particles demonstrate a quenching effect depending on the particle stopping power.