Delayed g9/2 Alignment in the N=Z Nucleus 72Kr

The structure of Kr-72 has been investigated at GASP through the Ca-40(Ca-40,2 alpha) reaction at a beam energy of 160 MeV using the 4 pi ISIS Si-ball for reaction channel selection. The level scheme has been extended up to an excitation energy of approximate to 8.5 MeV. The spins and parities of the observed levels are assigned tentatively. The observed band shows the predicted change from oblate to prolate shape. The four quasi-particle g(9/2) alignment is found to be significantly delayed in rotational frequency with respect to the heavier Kr isotopes. Such a delay contradicts the predictions of standard mean-field calculations and may reflect either additional correlations in the T = 0 pairing channel or coupling to vibrational degrees of freedom or both. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. (Less)