A high-lying isomer in ^{92}Zr with lifetime modulated by the atomic charge states: a proposed approach for a nuclear gamma-ray laser

Abstract

The nuclides ^{92}Zr are produced and transported by using a radioactive beam line to a lowbackground detection station. After a flight time of about 1.14 {\mu}s, the ions are implanted into a carbon foil, and four {\gamma} rays deexciting the 8+ state in ^{92}Zr are observed in coincidence with the implantation signals within a few nanoseconds. We conjecture that there exists an isomer located slightly above the 8^{+} state in ^{92}Zr. The isomeric lifetime in highly charged states is extended significantly due to the blocking of internal conversion decay channels, enabling its survival over the transportation. During the slowing-down process in the carbon foil, the ^{92}Zr ions capture electron and evolve toward neutral atoms, and consequently the lifetime is restored to a normal short value. Such a high-lying isomer depopulated by a low-energy transition may provide unique opportunity to develop nuclear {\gamma} laser.