Excited states in the neutron-deficient odd-odd proton-unbound nuclide Ta-158 have been investigated in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, Ir-166 nuclei were produced in the reactions of 380 MeV Kr-78 ions with an isotopically enriched Mo-92 target. The alpha-decay chain of the 9(+) state in Ir-166 was analyzed. Fine structure in the a decay of the 9(+) state in Re-162 established a 66 keV difference in excitation energy between the lowest-lying 9(+) and 10(+) states in Ta-158. Higher-lying states in Ta-158 were populated in the reactions of 255 MeV Ni-58 ions with an isotopically enriched Pd-102 target. Gamma-ray decay paths that populate, depopulate, and bypass a 19(-) isomeric state have been identified. The general features of the deduced level scheme are discussed and the prospects for observing proton emission branches from excited states are considered.

Excited states in the neutron-deficient N = 84 nuclide Lu-155 have been populated by using the Pd-102(Ni-58, alpha p) reaction. The Lu-155 nuclei were separated by using the gas-filled recoil ion transport unit (RITU) separator and implanted into the Si detectors of the gamma recoil electron alpha tagging (GREAT) spectrometer. Prompt gamma-ray emissions measured at the target position using the JUROGAM Ge detector array were assigned to Lu-155 through correlations with alpha decays measured in GREAT. Structures feeding the (11/2(-)) and (25/2(-)) alpha-decaying states have been revised and extended. Shell-model calculations have been performed and are found to reproduce the excitation energies of several of the low-lying states observed to within an average of 71 keV. In particular, the seniority inversion of the 25/2(-) and 27/2(-) states is reproduced.

Linear polarization measurements have been performed for gamma rays in Ru-91 produced with the Ni-58(Ar-36,2p1n gamma)Ru-91 reaction at a beam energy of 111 MeV. The EXOGAM Ge clover array has been used to measure the gamma-gamma coincidences, gamma-ray linear polarization, and gamma-ray angular distributions. The polarization sensitivity of the EXOGAM clover detectors acting as Compton polarimeters has been determined in the energy range 0.3-1.3 MeV. Several transitions have been observed for the first time. Measurements of linear polarization and angular distribution have led to the firm assignments of spin differences and parity of high-spin states in Ru-91. More specifically, calculations using a semiempirical shell model were performed to understand the structures of the first and second (21/2(+)) and (17/2(+)) levels. The results are in good agreement with the experimental data, supporting the interpretation of the nonyrast (21/2(+)) and (17/2(+)) states in terms of the J(max) and J(max) - 2 members of the seniority-three nu(g(9/2))(-3) multiplet.

Excited states in the neutron-deficient isotopes Os-163 and Os-165 were identified using the JUROGAM and GREAT spectrometers in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled separator. The Os-163 and Os-165 nuclei were populated via the Cd-106(Ni-60,3n) and Mo-92(Kr-78,2p3n) reactions at bombarding energies of 270 MeV and 357 MeV, respectively. Gamma-ray emissions from these nuclei have been established unambiguously using the recoil-decay tagging technique and a coincidence analysis has allowed level schemes to be established. These results suggest that the yrast states are based upon negative-parity configurations originating from the f(7/2) and h(9/2) orbitals.

Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work(1) that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing(2-6), in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus Pd-92. Gamma rays emitted following the Ni-58(Ar-36,2n)Pd-92 fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution c-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction(2-6). We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling(7,8)) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.

Excited states in the odd-odd neutron deficient nucleus (162)Ta (Z = 73, N = 89) have been studied for the first time. The gamma spectroscopy analysis using gamma - gamma - gamma coincidences revealed a strongly coupled rotational structure that was established up to large angular momentum states. The rotational band was assigned to the configuration pi h(11/2)[514]9/2 circle times nu i(13/2)[660]1/2 based on its rotational and electromagnetic properties. The data are interpreted within the framework of total Routhian surface calculations, which suggests an axially symmetric shape with a gamma-softminimum at beta(2) approximate to 0.16 and gamma approximate to 6 degrees. The crossing of the signature partners observed in heavier (N >= 91) odd-odd nuclides in this mass region is found to be absent at N = 89. This might be correlated with a change in S-band structure above the paired band crossing at these neutron numbers.

Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient isotope 172Hg have been established for the first time. The 96Ru( 78Kr,2n) reaction was employed to populate excited states in 172Hg with a cross section σ ≈ 15 nb. The highly selective Recoil-Decay Tagging (RDT) technique was used to obtain clean in-beam γ-ray spectra for 172Hg. The yrast ground-state band has tentatively been established up to I=6h̄. The data have been interpreted within the framework of total Routhian surface and quasiparticle random phase approximation calculations. In addition to the well-known features of shape coexistence previously observed in light Hg isotopes, the systematic trends in the energy of the yrast 2 + and 4 + states in the chain of Hg isotopes indicate a pronounced vibrational collectivity which is reduced in strength, but at the same time shows a higher degree of harmonicity, as the neutron number decreases below the neutron midshell.

Excited states in the neutron-deficient nuclide W-163 were investigated using the Cd-106(Ni-60, 2pn)W-163 reaction at a beam energy of 270 MeV. The level scheme for W-163 was extended significantly with the observation of five new band structures. The yrast band based on a 13/2(+) isomeric state is extended up to (57/2(+)). Two band structures were established on the 7/2(-) ground state. Quasiparticle configuration assignments for the new band structures were made on the basis of cranked Woods-Saxon shell-model calculations. The results reported in this article suggest that the negative-parity nu(f(7/2), h(9/2)) orbitals are responsible for the first rotational alignment in the yrast band.

The nuclides W-157 and Os-161 have been discovered ill reactions of Ni-58 ion beams with a Cd-106 target. The Os-161 alpha-decay energy and half-life were 6890 +/- 12 keV and 640 +/- 60 mu s. The daughter W-157 nuclei beta-decayed with a half-life of 275 +/- 40 ms, populating both low-lying alpha-decaying states in Ta-157, which is consistent with a 7/2(-) ground state in W-157. Fine structure observed in the alpha decay of Os-161 places the lowest excited state in W-157 with 1(pi) = 9/2(-) at 318 +/- 30 key. The branching ratio of 5.5(-2.2)(+3.1)% indicates that Os-161 also has a 7/2(-) ground state. Shell-model calculations analysing the effects of monopole shifts and a tensor force on the relative energies of 2f(7/2) and 1h(9/2) neutron states in N = 83 isotones are presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proton-neutron correlations in nuclei above the Z = 50 shell closure are investigated with the aim of understanding the behavior of the 2(+) and 4(+) states in Te and Xe isotopes, which remain at a rather constant energy as one approaches the shell closure at N = 50. Our calculations reveal that standard quasiparticle random phase approximation calculations, involving a quadrupole-quadrupole (QQ) interaction with constant strengths, cannot explain this feature. It is found that to reproduce the experimental data within this model one has to include a variable proton-neutron interaction. It turns out that an increased proton-neutron QQ interaction increases the collectivity (i.e., B(E2) values) when approaching the N = 50 region, whereas an increased proton-neutron pairing interaction decreases the collectivity. We thus conclude that the ratio between the B(E2) value and 2(+) energy is a "fingerprint" of proton-neutron collectivity and it should be determined in future experiments concerning light Te isotopes. Based on this criterion, we conclude that the available experimental data indicate an enhanced proton-neutron pairing interaction by approaching doubly magic Z = N = 20 and Z = N = 28 regions.