Spherical proton-neutron structure of isomeric states in<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mmultiscripts><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">Cd</mml:mi><mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/><mml:mrow><mml:mn>128</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:mmultiscripts></mml:math>
Abstract
The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray decay of isomeric states in the even-even nucleus $^{128}\mathrm{Cd}$ has been observed. The nucleus of interest was produced both by the fragmentation of $^{136}\mathrm{Xe}$ and the fission of $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ primary beams. The level scheme was unambiguously constructed based on $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ coincidence relations in conjunction with detailed lifetime analysis employed for the first time on this nucleus. Large-scale shell-model calculations, without consideration of excitations across the $N=82$ shell closure, were performed and provide a consistent description of the experimental level scheme. The structure of the isomeric states and their decays exhibit coexistence of proton, neutron, and strongly mixed configurations due to $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\nu}$ interaction in overlapping orbitals for both proton and neutron holes.