Neutron transfer reactions with radioactive beams

Neutron transfer experiments under inverse kinematics have been proposed as a spectroscopic tool with second-generation radioactive nuclear beam facilities. We illustrate typical experimental criteria by examples involving the spectroscopy of light neutron-rich nuclei. Calculations have been performed to estimate the energy resolution attainable. The relative importance of various contributions to the resolution is studied for a range of masses and incident energies, for both fragmentation and on-line isotope separator facilities. The detection of the heavy product of the reaction by an energy-loss spectrometer and that of the recoil light particle by a charged particle array is compared. It is shown that the coincidence detection of the heavy ion and light particle may improve the energy and angular resolution, while reducing background from projectile breakup and scattering.