Coulomb excitation of radioactive nuclear beams in inverse kinematics

Two techniques for determining B(E2:01+ → 21+) values using low-energy Coulomb excitation of Radioactive Nuclear Beams in inverse kinematics are presented. One method, applicable if the lifetime of the excited state is ∼1 ns, uses a linear array of NaI(Tl) detectors to measure the decay curve, and thus the 21+ state lifetime, for Coulomb excited radioactive beam nuclei as they decay in flight downstream from a carbon excitation target. In the second method, useful when lifetimes are short, <1 ns, or for low intensity beams, a through-well NaI(Tl) detector is used to measure the Coulomb excitation cross section from which the B(E2:01+ → 21+) value is calculated. The results of test experiments with beams of stable Os isotopes are presented.