^90,91Zr photoproton spectra and the core-excitation model

Abstract

Photoproton energy spectra have been measured for the ^90,91Zr(γ,P)^89,90Y reactions at an E_γ endpoint energy of 30 MeV, and for the ^90,91Zr,(e, e'p)^89,90Y reactions at a number of different electron beam energies around E_e = 21 MeV. Isotopically enriched target foils of metallic ⁹⁰Zr(97.65%) and ⁹¹Zr(89.2%) were used, and the proton spectra measured at 90°. Prominent proton groups are observed in the ⁹¹Zr spectra, particularly around E_p ≈ 11 MeV, which closely resemble groups produced in the ⁹⁰Zr photoreactions. Moreover, the correlating non-ground state proton groups are being produced in transitions leaving the corresponding ⁸⁹Y, ⁹⁰Y residual nuclei in excited levels which also correlate in energy. These photoproton groups from ⁹⁰Zr have previously been identified as representing T_> strength. A qualitative explanation is proposed in terms of the core-excitation model, in which the structure in the ⁹¹Zr proton spectrum is described as representing dipole $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{>}}\text{(T =}\text{13}\text{2}\text{)}$ strength formed by coupling the 2d$\text{5}\text{2}$ neutron to dipole T_> (T = 6) excitations of a ⁹⁰Zr core.