We present results of a series of experiments aimed at finding the most direct fingerprints of a phenomenon of nuclear chirality. These experiments brought a detailed knowledge of the so called partner bands in ¹³²La, ¹²⁸Cs and ¹²⁶Cs including absolute values of E2 and M1 transition probabilities obtained through the DSA (Doppler Shift Attenuation) method. Considering the indirect character of observables such as energies and transition rates we proposed measurement of the g-factor of a chosen state as a direct, ultimate test of chirality. Our experiment on the bandhead of partner bands in ¹²⁸Cs showed feasibility of this approach. Measured value of the g-factor which suggests non-chiral character of this state leads to another puzzle in the chirality studies — how the chirality emerges with increasing spin of levels along a partner band.

A simple semi-analytical collective model that takes into account the limitations of the variation interval of the collective variable is suggested to describe the chiral dynamics in triaxial odd−odd nuclei with a fixed particle−hole configuration. The collective Hamiltonian is constructed with the potential energy obtained using the postulated ansatz for the wave function symmetric with respect to chiral transformation. By diagonalizing the collective Hamiltonian the wave functions of the lowest states are obtained and the evolution of the energy splitting of the chiral doublets in transition from chiral vibration to chiral rotation regime is demonstrated.

The application of the semiclassical description to a particle-core system with imbued chiral symmetry is presented. The classical features of the chiral geometry in atomic nuclei and the associated dynamics are investigated for various core deformations and single-particle alignments. Distinct dynamical characteristics are identified in specific angular momentum ranges, triaxiality and alignment conditions. Quantum observables will be extracted from the classical picture for a quantitative description of experimental data provided as numerical examples of the model’s performance.

Progress in the studies of chirality in atomic nuclei at iThemba LABS is reviewed. New regions of chirality, around mass 80 and 190 have been discovered using the AFRODITE array, specifically in the nuclei ⁷⁴As, ^78,80,82Br, ⁸¹Kr, and ^193,194,198Tl. Many phenomena have been observed, including multiple chiral bands in the same nucleus, the coexistence of octupole correlations and nuclear chirality, and the coexistence of pseudo spin and nuclear chirality. The best example of chiral degeneracy to date was found in ¹⁹⁴Tl. The level scheme of ¹⁰⁶Ag has been revisited and interpreted in terms of two- and four-quasiparticle bands. Investigations using the particle-rotor model have shown that the fingerprints of chirality in the two-quasiparticle system only can occur in an idealised model description. For systems with a higher number of quasiparticles, the calculations showed that nuclear chirality can persist.

In the last decade, chiral symmetry in atomic nuclei has attracted significant attention and become one of the hot topics in current nuclear physics frontiers. This paper provides a review of experimental studies for nuclear chirality in China. In particular, the experimental setups, chiral mass regions, lifetime measurements, and simultaneous breaking of chirality and other symmetries are discussed in detail. These studies found a new chiral mass region (A ≈ 80), extended the boundaries of the A ≈ 100 and 130 chiral mass regions, and tested the chiral geometry of ¹³⁰Cs, ¹⁰⁶Ag, ⁸⁰Br and ⁷⁶Br by lifetime measurements. In addition, simultaneous breaking of chirality and other symmetries have been studied in ⁷⁴As, ⁷⁶Br, ⁷⁸Br, ⁸⁰Br, ⁸¹Kr and ¹³¹Ba.