Background: Thick-target-induced nucleon-adding transfer reactions onto energetic rare-isotope beams are an emerging spectroscopic tool. Their sensitivity to single-particle structure complements one-nucleon removal reaction capabilities in the quest to reveal the evolution of nuclear shell structure in very exotic nuclei. Purpose: Our purpose is to add intermediate-energy, carbon-target-induced one-proton pickup reactions to the arsenal of $\gamma$-ray-tagged direct reactions applicable in the regime of low beam intensities and to apply these for the first time to $fp$-shell nuclei. Methods: Inclusive and partial cross sections were measured for the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}({}^{48}\mathrm{Cr},{}^{49}\mathrm{Mn}+\gamma )$X and ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}({}^{50}\mathrm{Fe},{}^{51}\mathrm{Co}+\gamma )$X proton pickup reactions at 56.7 and 61.2 MeV/nucleon, respectively, using coincident particle-$\gamma$ spectroscopy at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The results are compared to reaction theory calculations using $fp$-shell-model nuclear structure input. For comparison with our previous work, the same reactions were measured on ${}^9$Be targets. Results: The measured partial cross sections confirm the specific population pattern predicted by theory, with pickup into high-$\ell$ orbitals being strongly favored, driven by linear and angular momentum matching. Conclusion: Carbon-target-induced pickup reactions are well suited, in the regime of modest beam intensity, to study the evolution of nuclear structure, with specific sensitivities that are well described by theory.

• Received 24 December 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.85.014610