Measurement of the ${}^{20}$F half-life

Abstract

The half-life of the ${}^{20}$F ground state has been measured using a radioactive beam implanted in a plastic scintillator and recording $\beta \gamma$ coincidences together with four CsI(Na) detectors. The result, $T_{1/2}=11.0011(69{)}_{\mathrm{stat}}(30{)}_{\mathrm{sys}}$~s, is at variance by 17 combined standard deviations with the two most precise results. The present value revives the poor consistency of results for this half-life and calls for a new measurement, with a technique having different sources of systematic effects, to clarify the discrepancy.

11 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C