Decoupled bands in odd-mass mercury isotopes

The schemes of the low-lying high-spin states in mercury isotopes with A = 195, 197, and 199 have been studied by γ-ray spectroscopy following (α, xn) reactions on separated platinum targets. Two bands have been excited in each Hg nucleus, one with positive parity based on the isomeric i$\text{13}\text{2}$. state and one, probably with negative parity, starting at spin $\text{case21}\text{2}$. The positive-parity states are interpreted with the rotation-aligned coupling scheme as decoupled bands; this implies oblate deformation in these three Hg isotopes. The negative-parity states are discussed as a decoupled i$\text{13}\text{2}$ neutron state coupled to the 5^?, 7^?, 9^?,…states, recently discovered in doubly even mercury isotopes.