Eur. Phys. J. A (2013) 49: 93
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2013-13093-8

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Beta decay of ¹¹⁵Cd and its possible ultra-low Q-value branch

Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland

^* e-mail: mikko.m.haaranen@jyu.fi

Received: 8 April 2013
Revised: 18 June 2013
Accepted: 21 June 2013
Published online: 18 July 2013

Abstract

In this work we study the allowed and forbidden β ⁻-decay transitions from ¹¹⁵Cd to ¹¹⁵In in the framework of the microscopic quasiparticle-phonon model (MQPM) using realistic single-particle model spaces and G-matrix-based effective interactions. Both the 1/2⁺ ground state and the 11/2⁻ isomeric state in ¹¹⁵Cd decay to various final states in ¹¹⁵In. Results of the calculations are compared with experimental data on partial decay half-lives to probe the wave functions produced by the MQPM. Of special interest is the possible decay branch 1/2⁺ β 9/2⁺ that is fourth-forbidden non-unique with a possible ultra-low Q-value associated with it. Accurate measurement of the ground-state-to-ground-state Q-value by, e.g., the Penning trap techniques, is urged to verify the existence of this decay transition. Such ultra-low Q-value transitions could be valuable in measurements of the electron-neutrino mass and studies of the interference of atomic effects.