beta-decay measurements for N>40 Mn nuclei and inference of collectivity for neutron-rich Fe isotopes

A decay spectroscopic study of the neutron-rich isotopes has been performed using fragmentation of a 86Kr primary beam. Fragments from this reaction have been selected by the LISE2000 spectrometer at the Grand Acc el erateur National d Ions Lourds (GANIL). Half-lives of 29 isotopes, including the first ones identified for 61Ti (15 4 ms), 64V (19 8 ms), and 71Fe (28 5 ms), have been determined and compared with model predictions. 67,68Mn -delayed rays were observed for the first time. The branching for the -delayed neutron emission was measured to be greater than 10(5)% in the 67Mn decay. The 67Fe isomeric level is firmly determined at higher energy than assigned in previous works. The excitation energies of the first (2+) and (4+) states of 68Fe are suggested to lie at 522(1) and 1389(1) keV, respectively, thus bringing confirmation of assignments based on in-beam -ray spectroscopy. Beyond-mean-field calculations with the Gogny D1S force have been performed for even-mass nuclei through the Fe isotopic chain. Not only 68Fe but most of the neutron-rich Fe isotopes with neutron numbers below N = 50 are interpreted as soft rotors. The calculated mean occupancy of the neutron g9/2 and d5/2 orbitals in correlated ground statesmore » is steadily growing with increasing neutron number throughout the isotopic chain. Interpretation of 67Fe data is based upon the present calculations for the 66Fe and 68Fe even cores.« less