Enhanced mixing of intrinsic states in deformed Hf nuclei

Abstract

Excited low-spin, nonyrast states in Hf170,172,174 were populated in ?+/? decay and studied through off-beam ?-ray spectroscopy. New coincidence data allowed for a substantial revision of the level schemes of Hf170,172 and a confirmation of the level scheme of Hf174. The Hf isotopes represent a unique situation in which a crossing of collective intrinsic excitations occurs, enhancing significantly the effects of mixing. Using branching ratios from excited 2+ states, this mixing is followed and studied. The resulting mixing matrix elements are found to be ~30 keV-an order of magnitude larger than estimated previously for nearby nuclei. In the case of Hf170, the 2?+ and 2?+ level are shown to be completely mixed. � 2008 The American Physical Society. Show more