Nuclear Structure of Neutron Rich ²⁶Na and the Lifetimes and Electromagnetic Transitions in Neutron Rich ²²F

The 14C(14C,d) reaction at 22 MeV was used to study Tz=2 26Na. Charged particles were detected with a Si detector telescope at 0º, and γ transitions in coincidence were detected with an array of three Compton-suppressed "clover" detectors and seven Compton-suppressed single Ge crystals. The d- γ and d- γ - γ coincidence data were analyzed to study the structure of 26Na. New levels were found and precise energies and γ decay patterns were determined for many states previously observed in charge-exchange reactions. Candidates were observed for the 1+ state missing in β decay. Mixing ratios were determined for some γ transitions from angular distribution information. There is reasonable agreement with the s-d shell model using the USD interaction. Electromagnetic transitions in 22F were investigated using the 9Be(14C,p) reaction at Elab = 22 MeV. Proton- γ and proton- γ - γ coincidences were measured using a segmented E - ΔE Si telescope and the FSU γ detector array. γ -ray energies, intensities, and branching ratios were measured and mean lifetimes were inferred using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. Several new states and many new decay modes were observed. The results are compared with sd shell model calculations using the USD, USDA, and USDB interactions. The excitation energies of the states below 2 MeV agree well with the calculations using the USD interaction, while the levels between 2 and 4 MeV agree much better with those using the newer USDA and USDB interactions. The branching ratios and mean lifetimes show no clear preference among these interactions.