Cross-Shell Excitations and High Spins in ⁴¹K and ⁴¹Ca

The work to be presented here investigates the nuclear structure of ⁴¹K and ⁴¹Ca, both of which have one or more nucleons in the fp-shell in their ground state configurations. These nuclei play a significant role in exploring the N = 20 shell gap. This work was carried out using fusion-evaporation reactions at Florida State University’s Jon D. Fox Superconducting Linear Accelerator Laboratory: ²⁶Mg(¹⁸O,3n)⁴¹K and ²⁶Mg(¹⁸O,p2n)⁴¹Ca. The ¹⁸O beam energy was 50 MeV and the target (²⁶Mg) consisted of two foils that were approximately 400 microns thick each. The data analysis resulted in the determination of a number of new energy levels and transitions. This information will be used to aid in refining a shell model interaction for cross-shell nuclei.