Systematic Studies Of E0 Transitions In ^{54, 56, 58}Fe

Doubly magic nuclei and their near neighbours serve as an ideal testing ground for the nuclear shell model, and, consequently, enable us to define effective nuclear interactions. Collective states in nuclei near ⁵⁶Ni can be attributed to multiparticle-multihole excitations from the 1f_7/2 to the 2p_3/2, 1f_5/2 and 2p_1/2 orbits across the N, Z = 28 shell gap. These features are usually associated with shape coexistence. Properties of excited 0⁺ states, as well as E0 and E2 transition strengths are sensitive probes of the underlying nuclear structure. The aim of this work is to identify and characterize excited 0⁺ states and corresponding E0 transitions in ^{54, 56, 58}Fe to search for shape coexistence around the N, Z = 28 shell closure. In order to obtain experimental information, E0 transitions between the lowest excited 0⁺ states and ground states were measured for the stable even-even iron isotopes using the superconducting electron spectrometer, "Super-e", at the Australian National University. Additional information on angular distributions, angular correlations, and γ -γ coincidences was obtained with the CAESAR detector array (at ANU) under the same experimental conditions. In order to deduce E0 strengths, the experimental data were evaluated with lifetime information from Doppler-shift attenuation measurements following inelastic neutron scattering, carried out at the University of Kentucky.