Occupation probabilities of valence orbitals relevant to neutrinoless double beta decay of 124Sn

Neutron transfer reaction measurements, relevant to the neutrinoless double beta decay candidate 124Sn and its daughter 124Te, have been performed. Precise measurements of both neutron addition [(d, p), (4He, 3He)] and removal [(p, d), (3He, 4He)] cross sections have been used to determine the occupation of valence orbitals pertinent to neutrinoless double beta decay in these two nuclei. This information could be used to constrain calculations of the nuclear matrix element for the neutrinoless double beta decay of 124Sn. The change in the ground-state neutron vacancies in proceeding from 124Sn to 124Te is mainly found in the d3/2,5/2 and h11/2 orbitals. The occupancies of states near the Fermi level are in reasonable agreement with shell model calculations.