Identification of the $^{109}$Xe $\rightarrow$ $^{105}$Te $\rightarrow$ $^{101}$Sn alpha-decay chain

The existence of a region of alpha emitting nuclei above $^{100}$Sn is due to the presence of the Z=N=50 shell closures. The region is a fertile area to investigate possible enhanced correlations between neutrons and protons filling the same single-particle orbits and could lead to the observation of superallowed alpha decay as an approach is made towards $^{100}$Sn. Nuclear structure studies in this region are problematic due to both a low probabilty for the production of neutron-defficient isotopes and the difficulty in detecting short-lived alpha decaying nuclei. The new isotope $^{109}$Xe was produced at the HRIBF at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the $^{58}$Ni($^{54}$Fe,3n) fusion evaporation reaction. A digital electronics aquisition system was used to identify $^{105}$Te through the $^{109}$Xe$\rightarrow ^{105}$Te $\rightarrow ^{101}$Sn alpha-decay chain. This marks the closest approach to the N = Z line above $^{100}$Sn. The superallowed character of the alpha decay of $^{105}$Te and the prospects for reaching the alpha-decay chain $^{108}$Xe$\rightarrow ^{104}$Te $\rightarrow ^{100}$Sn will be discussed.