High-precision spectroscopy of Ṩ65^{Ni}Ṩ via neutron capture [High-precision spectroscopy of 65Ni via neutron capture]

Detailed studies of the low-spin structures of neutron-rich Ni isotopes may help shedding light on the shape coexistence phenomenon. Of particular interest is the 65Ni nucleus, since it lies between 64Ni and 66Ni, where shape coexistence has been reported earlier. A spectroscopic investigation of 65Ni has been performed at Institut Laue-Langevin via the reaction64Ni(n,γ)65Ni, using the FIPPS HPGe array. Several new gamma transitions have been observed and angular correlation analyses have been performed. A comparison with Monte Carlo shell-model calculations pointed to a dominance of spherical states up to 1.5 MeV excitation energy, together with the appearance of two states of oblate character.