Multi-Segmented Electron Spectrometer for the measurement of E0 transitions

Electromagnetic transitions are sensitive probes of nuclear structure. Internal conversion electron emission is an electromagnetic decay process that is the only path for low-energy electric monopole (E0) transitions. In even-even nuclei, the observation of enhanced E0 transition strength between states of the same spin and parity, most notably 0⁺ to 0⁺ transitions, implies evidence of mixed or coexisting nuclear shapes. The MUlti-Segment Electron Spectrometer (MUSES) is a high-resolution charged-particle detector that can observe and measure electrons that are emitted from the internal conversion process. The MUSES detector, developed at Louisiana State University, consists of nine 10 × 10 mm², 5-mm-thick lithium-drifted silicon crystals arranged in a 3 × 3-pixel configuration. The commissioning of MUSES along with a new array of High-Purity Germanium detectors has been conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the measurement of the internal conversion electrons and gamma-rays. We will present on the development and performance of MUSES and preliminary measurements at ORNL.