Multiple excitation modes in 163Hf

Excited states of Hf163 were populated using the Zr94(Ge74,5n) reaction and the decay γ rays were measured with the Gammasphere spectrometer. Two previously known bands were extended to higher spins, and nine new bands were identified. In addition to bands associated with three- and five-quasiparticle configurations, two γ−vibrational bands coupled to the i13/2 excitation were also observed. The lowest level of a newly identified, negative-parity band is proposed to be the ground state of the nucleus. A systematic delay of the high-spin proton crossing frequency with increasing quadrupole deformation from Hf162 to Hf172 was established. Extensive band searches failed to reveal a triaxial, strongly deformed structure in Hf163 similar to the one observed in several nuclei around A∼165.