Excited state lifetimes in 190Tc and 109Ru via the fast-timing method*

The evolution of nuclear structure across isotopic and isobaric chains are of great interest to nuclear structure and for structure applications to nuclear astrophysics, specifically the r-process. The neutron-rich region around A=110 is characterized by rapidly evolving structure, which is currently not completely understood. As such, we have investigated the A=109 $\beta$-decay chain at the Univ. of Jyvaskyla IGISOL facility. $^{109}$Mo was populated via proton-induced fission of $^{238}$U, which $\beta$- decays to $^{109}$Tc and subsequently $^{109}$Ru. Lifetimes and gamma spectroscopy were measured with a multi-detector array consisting of of 2 HPGe, 2 LaBr and 1 plastic scintillator. $\beta$-$\gamma$-$\gamma$ triple coincidences were used to construct/check both level schemes, and measure lifetimes by the fast-timing method. New gamma ray transitions and picosecond range lifetimes will be presented for $^{109}$Tc and $^{109}$Ru.