Investigation of the high spin structure of ²⁹Si using the (α,d) reaction.

The investigation of nuclear structure in the mass A = 16-60 region has provided rich experimental data to test microscopic theory. Previously our group has used the tools and techniques of multi-gamma spectroscopy to chart out the high-spin yrast states in this mass region. Yrast states tend to be more unique for comparison with theory, hence our interest is focused on high spin states. To provide complementary data to gamma spectroscopy, we have explored using the (α,d) direct reaction to produce two nucleon excitations. It has been shown¹ that (α,d) reactions have a preference for high spin states since the proton and neutron from the deuteron can both occupy the same state of maximal J. Surprisingly no results for ²⁷Al(α,d)²⁹Si have been published above 5 MeV of excitation in ²⁹Si. Results from such a study conducted at FSU with the Super Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph (SE-SPS) will be reported and comparisons with configuration-interaction calculations using the FSU cross-shell interaction² will be presented.

¹B. G. Harvey and J. Cerny, Phys. Rev. 120, 2162 (1960).

²R.S. Lubna et al. Phys. Rev. 2, 043342 (2020).