https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09926-8
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Search for rare alpha and double beta decays of Yb isotopes to excited levels of daughter nuclei
1
INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, 67100, Assergi, AQ, Italy
2
Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
3
Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, K7L 3N6, Kingston, ON, Canada
4
Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
5
Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy, Queen’s University, Kingston ON K7L 3N6, Canada
b
bjoernlehnert@lbl.gov
c
sn65@queensu.ca
Received:
7
September
2021
Accepted:
9
December
2021
Published online:
21
January
2022
A search for alpha and double beta decays of ytterbium isotopes was performed with an ultra low-background high purity germanium detector at Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (Italy). A 194.7 g Yb
(CO
)
powder sample was measured for 11.3 days with a total Yb exposure of 1.25 kg
day. Half-life limits for 
-decay modes of 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
and 
into the first excited states have been obtained between 
years and 
years. These are the first experimental constraints of these decay modes. Double electron capture of and double beta decay of into the first excited 2
and 0 states could be excluded with limits between 
years to 
years. This improves the experimental information on some of the decay modes compared to previous constraints.
© The Author(s) 2021
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Funded by SCOAP3
