Half-life of the I-pi=4(-) intruder state in P-34: M2 transition strengths approaching the island of inversion

Abstract

The half-life of the 2305-keV, I-pi = 4((-)) intruder state in P-34 has been measured as t(1/2) = 2.0(1) ns using gamma-ray coincidence, fast-timing techniques with the Bucharest HPGe and LaBr3:Ce detector array. Excited states in P-34 were populated using the O-18(O-18, pn)P-34 fusion-evaporation reaction at a beam energy of 36 MeV. Reduced transition probabilities have been calculated for different values of the M2/E3 mixing ratio, delta(E3/M2), and compared with shell-model estimates. For small values of the mixing ratio, the B(M2) value was found to be consistent with similar transitions associated with the occupation of neutron f(7/2) configurations in this mass region.