Competing Shapes And Alignments In Neutron-Rich Hf Nuclei.

The talk will focus on spin-dependent competition between oblate and prolate shape minima in the potential energy landscape of ¹⁸⁰Hf (the most neutron-rich stable isotope), mediated via the alignment of valence nucleons. Results of a prompt spectroscopic study, using deep inelastic reactions with Gammasphere and CHICO, bombarding a thin ²³²Th target with a ¹⁸⁰Hf beam ∼25% above the Coulomb barrier, will be presented. Nucleon alignments in both prolate and oblate minima will be discussed, as well as the favoring of oblate collective rotation at high spins, observed through a mixing with gamma vibrations built on the prolate shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]