First observation of excited states of173Hg

The neutron-deficient nucleus ${}^{173}$Hg has been studied following fusion-evaporation reactions. The observation of the decay of excited states via $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ radiation are reported for the first time and a tentative level scheme is proposed. The proposed level scheme is discussed within the context of the systematics of neighboring neutron-deficient Hg nuclei. In addition to the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy, the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of this nucleus has been measured yielding superior precision to earlier measurements.