Quadrupole and octupole transitions in the stable Sn isotopes

The study of deformations in excited states of nuclei is one of the principal pursuits in nuclear physics measurements. Corresponding transition probabilities allow for substantial interpretations of collectively in the excitations. Heavy-ion collisions facilitate a simultaneous study of deformations of charge and matter densities in nuclei. However, such measurements are subject to the nuclear interactions between the colliding ions, and become probe-dependent. Several such measurements have been previously attempted on the stable Sn isotopic chain, but the results are largely debated. Intrinsic deformations of nuclei can be deduced by removing the effects of finite probe size in the extraction of nuclear potential shapes. In this context, the characteristics of the low-lying quadrupole (0⁺_g.s → 2₁⁺) and octupole (0⁺_g.s→3₁^-) transitions in ^{112,116,118,120,122,124}Sn nuclei have been investigated using two different probes, ⁷Li and ¹²C, and the results are compared with existing measurements to conclude about intrinsic nuclear deformations. A measurement of the 2₁⁺ level lifetimes in ¹²⁰Sn is also carried out to compare the resultant transition probability with the ones obtained from heavy-ion scattering. (author)