The N = Zf7/2-shell nuclei: Experimental highlights

During the last decade, as the experimental and computing means and techniques have rapidly evolved, the experimental investigation of the f_7/2-shell nuclei has gained renewed interest. TheN = Z nuclei studied with the GASP array range from ⁴⁴Ti to ⁵²Fe. The results extended the knowledge of their structure up to high spins and excitation energies, above band terminations, where the competition with the charged-particles emission was initially thought to obscure the possibility of gamma-ray spectroscopy investigation. The paper highlights some of the most outstanding properties of these nuclei such as the nuclear rotation and backbending effects, band termination states, yrast traps, non-natural parity bands, competition between T = 0 and T = 1 pn pairing modes.Received: 30 October 2002, Published online: 16 March 2004PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 21.60.Cs Shell model - 23.20.Lv transitions and level energies - 27.40. + z C.A. Ur: On leave from NIPNE Bucharest, Romania