How does deformation influence neutron-proton pairing? Study of the two-nucleon transfer reaction 48Cr(p,3He)46V

Neutron-proton pairing manifests itself predominantly in nuclei with N=Z and is expected to be maximum for open shell nuclei with high-j orbitals. Pair-transfer is one of the experimental signatures for pairing. This experiment aims at studying the unstable 48Cr nucleus that is the mid-shell nucleus of the f-shell, the largest shell accessible experimentally for two-nucleon transfer and also a good rotor. By measuring the neutron-proton transfer reaction 48Cr(p,3He)46V, the interplay between pairing and deformation will be investigated. The goal is to determine the cross-sections to the ground state (0+,T=1) and to the first 1+,T=0 state in order to: (i) determine the ratio of these cross-sections and put it in perspective with previous measurements in the f-shell; (ii) study the effect of deformation on each pairing channel by comparing with theoretical predictions.

48Cr was produced at 33.9 MeV/A in the fragmentation of a 50Cr stable beam at 72MeV/A in a 1050 μm thick Be target.
In total, 27.3UT were devoted to data taking at an average primary beam intensity of about 1.5 eμA.