In-beam nuclear spectroscopic studies of¹⁸²Re, following the reaction¹⁸¹Ta(α, 3n)¹⁸²Re have been made using gamma-ray and internal conversion electron techniques.K-conversion coefficients for several transitions have been measured and the multi-polarities of the various transitions assigned. In particular, the spin and parity of the four-quasi-particle isomeric level at 2256 keV were determined to be 16⁻. Theg-factor of this level has been measured to beg = 0·32 ± 0·05. On the basis of theg-factor and the decay pattern of this level, a configuration {v9/2⁺ [624↑]v7/2⁻ [514↓]v7/2⁻ [503↑]π9/2⁻ [514↑]}_k^x = 16⁻ has been assigned to this level. The nature of the retardation of the gamma transitions deexciting this level is discussed. It is argued that the measured retardation factors can be explained if the nucleus has a triaxial shape.

The lifetimes of the states of −ve parity 2-qp bands of N=40 nuclei ⁷⁴Se and ⁷⁶Kr were measured. The transition strengths and quadrupole moments, obtained from the lifetimes, show a large collectivity of such bands in both the nuclei. The alignment frequencies were calculated from Woods-Saxon cranking model. Previously suggested quasi proton nature of band 5 and 6 of ⁷¹Se were argued to be based on quasi neutron excitations. The total Routhian surface calculations suggest triaxial shapes with large +ve and −ve values of triaxiality parameter γ after proton and neutron alignments in these bands respectively.

α angular correlations were calculated using the coupled channels formalism for ^16,18O break-up reactions. Prominent Z dependency was observed in both the cases. ¹⁶O break-up shows distinctively different behavior with different target materials.

The new generation of detector arrays require complex instrumentation and data acquisition system to ensure increased reliability of operation, high degree of integration, software control and faster data handling capability. The main features of some of the existing multi-detector arrays like MSU 4π array, Gammasphere and Eurogam are summarized. The instrumentation for the proposed INGA array in India is discussed.

An indigenously developed automatic liquid nitrogen (LN2) filling system has been installed in gamma detector array (GDA) facility at Nuclear Science Centre. Electro-pneumatic valves are used for filling the liquid nitrogen into the high purity germanium detector cryostat. The temperature of the out-flowing gas/liquid from the cryostat is monitored using platinum resistor thermometer. The program allows for automatic filling at regular intervals with temperature monitoring from a remote terminal.

This paper reports the construction of a superconducting linear accelerator as a booster to the 15 UD Pelletron accelerator at Nuclear Science Centre, New Delhi. The LINAC will use superconducting niobium quarter wave resonators as the accelerating element. Construction of the linear accelerator has progressed sufficiently. Details of the entire accelerator system including the cryogenics facility, RF electronics development, facilities for fabricating niobium resonators indigenously, and present status of the project are presented.

An on-line test of the LINAC superbuncher at Nuclear Science Centre has been successfully performed. DC O⁷⁺ beam of nominal energy 92 MeV was accelerated through the superbuncher resonator, operating at a field of 4.54 MV/m. The total energy gain of the beam was measured to be 4.5 MeV. For the pulsed beam test a phase locked bunched beam of O⁷⁺ of nominal energy 92 MeV, FWHM 1.3 ns from the pre-tandem multiharmonic buncher was injected into the superbuncher. By properly adjusting the phase and amplitude of the resonator, the best FWHM of the bunched beam was measured to be 185 ps near the entrance of the first LINAC module. Fully depleted cooled surface barrier detector was used for measuring the time width. In a separate experiment the intrinsic time resolution of the same detector was measured to be 134 ps. Consequently the intrinsic time width of the bunched beam, after correcting for the detector resolution, would be 127 ps. Details of the experiment and results are presented.