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A thin Nb target on a Pb backing was fabricated using the rolling technique. In the present work, the characterization of the sample has been carried out using various techniques to study the surface morphology, crystallography, elemental analysis, thickness and electrical conductivity useful for the intended use of the target prepared. The thin Nb target was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford back-scattering spectroscopy (RBS) techniques. The uniform and smooth surface of the sample was confirmed by SEM imaging. The presence of oxygen in the EDS spectra and peaks corresponding to crystal planes of PbO2 in the XRD spectrum confirms the oxidation of Pb foil. The XRD spectrum shows clear peaks corresponding to (011), (002), (112) crystal planes of pure Nb. The thickness of the thin Nb foil measured using the RBS techniques was found to be 0.8 mg/cm2. The current(I)-voltage(V) curve (relationship between the current flowing through an electronic device and the applied voltage across its terminals) at room temperature for the Pb and Nb/Pb foils was plotted and showed linear relationship between applied voltage and current flowing through the target foil. The measured electrical conductivity indicates an enhancement of 35.9 % for Nb/Pb foil relative to the conductivity measured for the Pb foil.

The neutron deficient Xe nuclei with A ≈ 120 are predicted to have strong octupole correlation at low spins. In
the present work, an attempt was made to improve upon the level scheme and also to look into the signatures of
octupole correlation in 118Xe via high spin γ-ray spectroscopy. High spin states in 118Xe have been populated via
93Nb(28Si,p2n)118Xe fusion-evaporation reaction at a beam energy of 115 MeV provided by the 15 UD pelletron
accelerator facility at IUAC, New Delhi. In the experiment, seven new γ-transitions have been found and are placed
appropriately in the level scheme. Theoretical study using the triaxial projected shell model (TPSM) approach
suggests that the first bandcrossing is due to the alignment of two neutrons, and a parallel band tracking the yrast
configuration is the γ-band built on the two-quasiparticle state. Enhanced E1 transition rates measured between
opposite parity bands, involving νh11/2 and νd5/2 orbitals having ∆j = ∆l = 3, indicates the presence of octupole
correlation in this nucleus