Weak coupling inNd143

Abstract

High-spin states of ' Nd have been studied using the ' Te(' 0,5n) reaction at 85 MeV. The yrast states observed up to a tentatively assigned spin of 45//2 can be described in a remarkably simple way by the weak coupling of an f7/z neutron to the ' Nd core nucleus. Our results demonstrate that ' 3Nd is one of the best known examples of weak coupling at high angular momentum.PACS number(s): 23.20.Lv, 21.60.Cs, 27.60.+jThe N= 83 isotopes are some of the best candidates in the Periodic Table for weak coupling. Low-energy states in the semimagic N=82 nuclei are generated primarily by excitations of their valence protons (for example, see [1,2]). Consequently, the valence neutron of an N = 83 nucleus should not interfere with the excited states of its N = 82 core, and the coupling between the valence neutron and the core may be