Level lifetimes in ⁹⁴Zr from DSAM measurements following inelastic neutron scattering

The lifetime of the second 2⁺ state in ⁹⁴Zr was redetermined by the Doppler-shift attenuation method following inelastic neutron scattering (DSAM-INS) from metallic Zr and ZrO₂ samples of natural isotopic abundance. The new value for the level lifetime differs significantly from the previously published value, with the new lifetime found to be roughly twice that value. A reanalysis of the original γ-ray data from the enriched ⁹⁴ZrO₂ sample failed to expose the source of this discrepancy; however, powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy performed on each scattering sample, including the enriched sample used previously, provide clues to an explanation and reveal the role of the chemical properties of the sample material in DSAM-INS lifetime determinations.