In-beam study of 63 143 Eu80

An in-beam γ-ray study with the¹⁴⁴Sm (α, p4n) reaction has established the high-spin states up to 5 MeV excitation and I=35/2 in the N=80 nucleus¹⁴³Eu. The observed yrast states show the typical irregular pattern of a spherical nucleus, with frequent decay branchings and often dominant dipole de-excitation. The level spectrum is in qualitative accord with the coupling of the h_11/2 proton particle to the known yrast levels of the¹⁴²Sm core nucleus. Only in a few cases specific configuration assignments are made.