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Tm169(n,γ) cross section and statistical decay properties from measurements at the DANCE facility

I. Knapová1,*, K. Horčičková2,†, A. Couture1, C. Fry1, F. Gunsing3, T. Kawano1, K. J. Kelly1, M. Krtička2, E. Leal Cidoncha1 et al.

C. J. Prokop1, R. Reifarth1, G. Rusev1, J. L. Ullmann1, and S. Valenta2

  • *Contact author: iknapova@lanl.gov
  • †Contact author: kamila.horcickova@matfyz.cuni.cz
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Phys. Rev. C 112, 014612 – Published 7 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5sjr-vyjv

Abstract

Background: Radiative neutron capture on thulium, which is a monoisotopic element, plays a role in different applications such as nuclear astrophysics or nuclear burning environments. Considerable discrepancies—reaching 20%—exist between evaluations in the unresolved-resonance region. Furthermore, experimental data on statistical γ decay in odd-odd rare-earth nuclei is scarce. There are still open questions about the systematics of the so-called scissors mode in the M1 photon strength function, especially in odd-odd nuclei.

Purpose: This work is focused on two main topics—deriving experimental Tm169(n,γ) cross section and studying statistical γ decay of Tm170, in particular properties of the scissors mode.

Methods: The capture experiments to obtain experimental cross section were performed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center using the time-of-flight technique and employing the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments. Measured coincident γ-ray spectra were also compared with statistical simulations using the dicebox code to test different models of level density and photon strength functions.

Results: The capture cross section was determined from 1.8 eV to 0.97 MeV, the broadest neutron-energy range ever measured for this isotope. Several new resonances have been observed. The statistical γ decay of Tm170 cannot be reproduced without a scissors mode resonance centered at ≈3.3MeV.

Conclusions: The measured cross section in the unresolved-resonance region is generally lower than the latest evaluations. The derived Tm169 s-process abundance is expected to increase by a factor of 1.26, while the changes of the abundances of elements heavier than Tm169 are in the order of 0.2%. The scissors mode properties in Tm170 are similar to those deduced in previous analyses of neighboring nuclei Er168 and Ho166.

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Phys. Rev. C 112, 014612– Published 7 July, 2025
  • Received 24 March 2025
  • Revised 8 May 2025
  • Accepted 28 May 2025
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