Spectroscopy of neutron‐deficient tantalum‐to‐rhenium isotopes

Alpha‐decay half‐lives were measured for the first time for 160,161Ta of 1.2(3), and 2.7(2) s, respectively. Alpha energies and half‐lives of 162Ta are 4.88(1) MeV, T1/2=5(3) s, of 163Ta are 4.63(1) MeV, T1/2=11(2) s, and the half‐life of 164Ta is 14.9(2) s. Two α‐decay chains were closed and negative SP values derived for 171Ir, 175Au and 179Tl. For 166W, β‐decay was measured for the first time, a decay scheme derived and the α‐branching obtained to be 0.030 (7) %. For 167W, α‐decay was measured for the first time with Eα=4.55(2) MeV, from γγ‐coincidences a decay scheme is constructed. We have remeasured half‐lives and γ‐rays of 168W to 170W. For 171W a new half‐life of 2.38(4) min is reported, from γγ‐coincidences a decay scheme is constructed. The decay of the new isotope 171Re was measured.