Spectroscopy of 46Ar by the (t,p) two-neutron transfer reaction

Abstract

States in the $N=28$ nucleus ${}^{46}$Ar have been studied by a two-neutron transfer reaction at REX-ISOLDE (CERN). A beam of radioactive ${}^{44}$ at an energy of 2.16~AMeV and a tritium loaded titanium target were used to populate ${}^{46}$ by the t(${}^{44}$,p) two-neutron transfer reaction. Protons emitted from the target were identified in the T-REX silicon detector array. The excitation energies of states in ${}^{46}$ have been reconstructed from the measured angles and energies of recoil protons. Angular distributions for three final states were measured and based on the shape of the differential cross section an excited state at 3695~keV has been identified as $J^{\ddot{I}}€=0^{+}$. The angular differential cross section for the population of different states are compared to calculations using a reaction model employing both sequential and direct transfer of two neutrons. Results are compared to shell model calculations using state-of-the-art effective interactions.

10 pages, 12 figures, PRC accepted