Experimental study of the 56Ni(He,d)57Cu reaction in inverse kinematics

Measurements of ( 3 He,d) reactions can provide information on the proton widths of states that play a role in astrophysically important (p,γ) reactions. We report on the first study of the ( 3 He,d) reaction in inverse kinematics with a 56 Ni (T 1/2 = 6.1 d) ion beam. The Q-value resolution of ∼700 keV achieved in this experiment was sufficient to separate the transitions populating the ground state and the 1/2 - -5/2 - doublet at E x ∼ 1.1 MeV in 57 Cu. Prospects for similar ( 3 He,d) experiments with improved energy resolution are also discussed.