The Challenge and Promise of the New Research Tools: Solid-State Detectors, Computers and Accelerators

Nuclear structure research has been the beneficiary of many recent technical advances and in turn directly stimulated some advances. The exciting possibilities of the lithium- drifted germanium detector in gamma spectroscopy have only begun to be realized. The large amounts of high resolution data have put a premium on developing more automation of data handling through more sophisticated electronics and computers. Trends in accelerators are discussed, and reference tables listing isochronous cyclotrons and Tandem Van de Graafs around the world are given. Attention is directed to new frontiers of research in heavier ion accelerators, and tables of characteristics of existing and proposed heavy ion accelerators are given. The difficulties of obtaining multiply charged ions from known types of ion sources are considered, and the high charges resulting from Auger cascades of a К-vacancy are noted. It is suggested that intensive research on decay schemes and charge states of recoil products of nuclear reactions could lead to a practical accelerator of very heavy ions. As an example is discussed a possible arrangement in a Tandem Van de Graaf, where a deuteron negative ion beam strikes a source foil in the positive terminal, with recoil products or fission products accelerated to ground. Studies on noble gas and halogen fission products by gas transport ystems and isotope separators are noted. Also reviewed are germanium gamma studies on unseparated 252Cf spontaneous fission products using tape-transport methods and К X-ray coincidence. Next are reviewed studies on gamma and conversion-electron spectra of recoils and fission products in flight. The use of solenoidal or fringing-field magnets for conversion electron studies is discussed. Some of the qualitatively new aspects of nuclear studies with very heavy ion beams are mentioned. Finally, it is stressed that the research here called for on gamma cascades and charge states of nuclear reaction products is most extensive, may in part be done with modest equipment, and will need the co-operative efforts of many workers. (author)