Eur. Phys. J. A (2004) 22: 411-416
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2004-10044-6

EC and α decays of ²³⁵Am

¹ Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, 319-1195, Ibaraki, Japan
² Department of Radiologic Science and Engineering, The University of Tokushima, 770-8509, Tokushima, Japan
³ Cyclotron Center, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Niigata University, 950-2181, Niigata, Japan
⁵ Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 739-8527, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 192-0397, Tokyo, Japan
⁷ Department of Energy Engineering and Science, Nagoya University, 464-8603, Nagoya, Japan

^* e-mail: asai@tandem.tokai.jaeri.go.jp

Received: 4 May 2004
Accepted: 2 July 2004
Published online: 11 November 2004

Abstract

EC and α decays of ²³⁵Am have been studied using a gas-jet coupled on-line isotope separator. Excited states in ²³⁵Pu have been established for the first time by means of γ-ray spectroscopy following the EC decay of ²³⁵Am. The deduced log ft value suggests that the ground state of ²³⁵Am should have the π5/2^-[523] configuration. The α-γ coincidence result has revealed that the π5/2^-[523] state in ²³¹Np populated by the favored α transition of ²³⁵Am is located at < 15 keV, which allows us to precisely determine the Q _α value of ²³⁵Am.