Nuclear structure studies of the neutron deficientN=50 nucleus96Pd

The neutron deficient nucleus⁹⁶Pd, four proton holes below the doubly magic¹⁰⁰Sn, has been studied in the reaction⁶⁴Zn (³⁶Ar, 2p 2n). Innγ andγγ coincidences levels up to 7 MeV excitation energy were established, and a new neutron core-excited isomer with T_1/2=35(4)ns and g=0.83 (5) was identified. A detailed shell model study yields excellent agreement for states within the π(p_1/2,g_9/2) configuration space but fails to reproduce the isomerism andg-factor for the core-excited state.