Half-life measurements for 61Ga, 63Ge, and 65As and their importance in the rp process.
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The rp process provides a mechanism whereby energy is generated and proton-rich nuclei are synthesized in various astrophysical environments. Understanding this process requires knowledge of the half-lives, binding energies, and reaction cross sections for the nuclei along its path, which for A60 lies near the proton-drip line. Using the A1200 radioactive-beam facility at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, we have performed an experiment to measure the -decay half-lives of several Tz=-1/2 nuclei in this mass region by identification and implantation of projectile fragments followed by a rapid beam cutoff and observation of the decay. Using this technique, the half-lives of Ga61, Ge63, and As65 (0.15 0.03 s, 95-20+23 ms, and 0.19-0.07+0.11 s, respectively) have been measured and are found to be consistent with expectations from -decay theory for decay between mirror states with Q9 MeV. In addition, the proton-rich nucleus Se66 has been observed for the first time. The experimental method used for this measurement and the implications of these results for the rp process are discussed. 1993 The American Physical Society.
