Absolute decay width measurements in ¹⁶O

The reaction ¹²₆C(⁶₃Li, d)¹⁶₈O* at a ⁶Li bombarding energy of 42 MeV has been used to populate excited states in ¹⁶O. The deuteron ejectiles were measured using the high-resolution Munich Q3D spectrograph. A large-acceptance silicon-strip detector array was used to register the recoil and break-up products. This complete kinematic set-up has enabled absolute α-decay widths to be measured with high-resolution in the 13.9 to 15.9 MeV excitation energy regime in ¹⁶O; many for the first time. This energy region spans the 14.4 MeV four-α breakup threshold. Monte-Carlo simulations of the detector geometry and break-up processes yield detection efficiencies for the two dominant decay modes of 40% and 37% for the α+¹²C(g.s.) and a+¹²C(2⁺₁) break-up channels respectively.