Microscopic study of muon-capture transitions in nuclei involved in double-beta-decay processes Original Research Article

Total and partial ordinary muon-capture (OMC) rates to 1+ and 2− states are calculated in the framework of the proton–neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA) for several nuclei involved in double-beta-decay processes. The aim is to obtain information on intermediate states involved in double-beta-decay transitions having these nuclei as either daughter or parent nuclei. It is found that the OMC observables, just like the 2νββ-decay amplitudes, strongly depend on the particle–particle part of the proton–neutron interaction. First experiments measuring the partial OMC rates for nuclei involved in double beta decays have recently been performed.