Selective population and neutron decay of an excited state of 23O

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Sep 14;99(11):112501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.112501. Epub 2007 Sep 12.

Abstract

We have observed a resonance in neutron-fragment coincidence measurements that is presumably the first excited state of 23O at 2.8(1) MeV excitation energy which decays into the ground state of 22O. This interpretation is consistent with theory. The reaction mechanism supports the assignment of the observed state as the 5/2+ hole state. This assignment and the recently observed 3/2+ particle state advance the understanding of 23O.