Experimental Study of the 34mcl Beam Production at Intermediate Energies

The isomeric content of a Cl-34 beam produced in the intermediate-energy projectile fragmentation of a 150 MeV/u Ar-36 beam on a 3 mm-thick Be target was studied. beta-delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy was used to measure the population of Cl-34 fragments in the ground vs. isomeric states at zero degrees relative to the incoming primary beam for four different momentum settings of the fragment separator near the predicted central velocity of these fragments, as well as, at two non-zero-degree settings for one momentum setting. Of the settings explored, which excluded rigidities within 0.5% of the value predicted to maximize total Cl-34 yield due to unreacted primary beam, the maximum rate for the production of Cl-34m was found at a rigidity setting 0.75% below the predicted peak Cl-34 yield. The maximum population of the isomeric state relative to the ground state was observed at a rigidity 1.25% below the predicted maximum Cl-34 yield. Studies such as this are important in generating the understanding needed for producing isomer-enriched rare-isotope beams.