Sun, 15 Feb 2026 RO   EN        Project List » Gamma-ray spectroscopy studies of the evolution of intruder configuration towards the N=20 'island of inversion' Gamma-ray spectroscopy studies of the evolution of intruder configuration towards the N=20 'island of inversion' www.nipne.ro/proiecte/pn4/11-projects.html Acronym: INVERSION-N20 Contracting Authority: UEFISCDI Number / Date of the contract: 42 TE / 2025-01-08 Program: PNCDI IV Project Manager: Razvan Lica Partners: Starting date / finishing date: 2025-01-08 / 2026-12-31 Project value: 500.000 RON Abstract: Nuclear deformation and shape coexistence have been prominent subjects within the field of nuclear structure for over 50 years. An expanding stream of experimental data has demonstrated the disappearance and/or the development of new magic numbers, representing shell closures, as nuclei move further away from stability. A particular manifestation of such phenomena and currently a 'hot' topic in the exotic nuclear landscape is the emergence of the "Islands of Inversion" where deformed 'intruder' configurations are more energetically favored compared to their spherical 'normal' counterparts. This project proposes a complex experimental study through gamma-ray spectroscopy using the ROSPHERE detector array at the 9MV Tandem Accelerator of IFIN-HH, which aims to study excited states of nuclei in the vicinity of the N=20 "Island of Inversion" where 0+ states dominated by deformed intruder configurations are theoretically predicted. The objectives of this project are to investigate the presence of the first intruder 0+ states in the 32Si (N=20-2) and 38S (N=20+2) nuclei, thus determining the evolution of nuclear deformation and shape coexistence in the N=20 "Island of Inversion" region and contributing to the validation and further development of theoretical shell-model calculations. The project represents the continuation of a successfully concluded study performed at the radioactive ion-beam facility ISOLDE-CERN, Switzerland, where the 34Si and 34Al nuclei were studied. Cognitive and Socio-Economic Impact: The scientific impact will be quantifiable in the manner specific to frontier research through the number and impact factor of scientific articles published in journals indexed by ISI Web of Knowledge, presentations at international conferences and the experimental setups and analytical techniques developed or improved within IFIN-HH and through international collaborations. Within this project, retaining recognized nuclear competencies within the country and raising a new generation of researchers will ensure the sustainable development of a strategically important field for Romania. Furthermore, the project contributes significantly to the development strategy of IFIN-HH and the SNCSI 2022-2027 (National Strategy for Research, Innovation, and Smart Specialization). Objectives: 1. Measure experimentally for the first time the nuclear half-life of the intruder 0+ state in 32Si (N=20-2) and interpret the results using shell-model calculations that employ the state-of-the-art interactions able to describe particle-hole excitations across the N=20 sd-pf shell gap. 2. Investigate through gamma-ray spectroscopy the presently unknown excitation energy of the intruder 0+ state in 38S (N=20+2) and furthermore establish the grounds for future experiments dedicated to the measurement of its half-life. THE STAGES OF THE PROJECT AND DELIVERY DATES 1. Experimental measurements for 32Si. Experiment preparation for 38S.  (2025-12-31) Results 2. Experimental measurements and data analysis for 38S.  (2026-12-31) RESULTS PUBLISHED ARTICLES RESEARCH TEAM Back to the Project List Versiunea proiectului in limba romana      Address: Str. Reactorului no.30, P.O.BOX MG-6, Bucharest - Magurele, ROMANIA Tel: +(4021) 404.23.00, Fax: +(4021) 457.44.40 2026 IFIN-HH. All rights reserved.