Observation and Quadrupole Moment Measurement of the First Superdeformed Band in the A~60 Mass Region

A high-spin rotational cascade of six gamma rays has been observed in Zn-62. The quadrupole moment of 2.7(-0.5)(+0.7) e b measured for this band corresponds to a deformation beta(2) = 0.45(-0.07)(+0.10). The properties of this band are in excellent agreement with calculations that predict high-spin superdeformed bands in Zn-62 with deformations beta(2) = 0.41-0.49. These results establish a new region of superdeformation for nuclei with neutron and proton numbers N, Z approximate to 30-32.