Identification of Excited States in the N = Z Nucleus 82Nb

Information on the first excited states in the N = Z = 41 nucleus Nb-82 sheds light on the competition of isospin T = 0 and T = 1 states in the A similar to 80 region. The measurement was performed at the GSI laboratory using fragmentation of a Ag-107 primary beam at 750 MeV/u on a 4 g/cm(2) Be-9 target. The fragments were separated and identified unambiguously in the FRagment Separator. Three excited states were observed and the half-life estimate for the isomeric state was extracted. A tentative spin assignment based on the isobaric analogue states systematics in the T-z = 1 nucleus Zr-82, and transition probabilities indicate T = 1 character of the first two excited states, and T = 0 for the isomeric state.