Measurement of alpha and neutron decay widths of excited states of C-14

The C-12(O-16,O-14)C-14 reaction was studied at a beam energy of 234 MeV. The O-14 ejectile was detected by a Q3D spectrometer at forward angles. The energies and angles of the excited C-14 recoil break-up fragments were measured in coincidence with the O-14 ejectile using a double sided silicon strip detector array at backward angles. A complete kinematic reconstruction of the reaction was performed to reconstruct the C-14(*)-> Be-10+alpha and C-14(*)-> C-13+n decay channels and the branching ratios and widths of these decays were calculated. Theoretical decay branches were calculated using barrier penetrability factors and were compared to the measured ratios to provide information on the spins, parities, and configurations of the states. Neutron emission was found to be favored for the 11.73, 12.96, 14.87, 16.72, and 18.6 MeV states. The 14.87, 18.6, and 21.4 MeV states were found to have a considerable width for alpha-decay and are candidates for the three bodied molecular cluster structure of C-14.