Experimental study of ${}^{53}$Cr via the $(d,p{\hat{I}}^3)$ reaction

Abstract

Excited states in ${}^{53}$Cr were studied via the ${}^{52}$Cr$(d,p{\hat{I}}^3)$ reaction up to the neutron-separation threshold. Proton-${\hat{I}}^3$ angular correlations and ${\hat{I}}^3$ decay branching ratios were measured in particle-${\hat{I}}^3$ coincidences between the Super-Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph (SE-SPS) and CeBr${}_3$ Array (CeBrA) demonstrator of the John D. Fox Accelerator Laboratory at Florida State University. Previous spin-parity assignments from a $(d,p)$ singles experiment at the SE-SPS are supported and ${\hat{I}}^3$-ray transitions in ${}^{53}$Cr reported. We firmly assign higher-lying excited states to ${}^{53}$Cr because overlapping excited states and contaminants could be identified better due to the complementary ${\hat{I}}^3$-decay information. We also correct some of the previously reported excitation energies and present a reanalysis of previously measured ${}^{52}$Cr$(d,p){}^{53}${Cr} angular distributions guided by the complementary ${\hat{I}}^3$-ray information. Based on this reanalysis, the fragmentation of the neutron $2p_{3/2}$, $2p_{1/2}$, $1f_{5/2}$, $1g_{9/2}$, and $2d_{5/2}$ single-particle strengths is reassessed for ${}^{53}$Cr. A comparison to the corresponding strengths in ${}^{55}$Fe is presented.

18 pages, 12 figures