Equilibrium deformations and excitation energies of single-quasiproton band heads of rare-earth nuclei

Abstract

Noncollective single-proton states in odd-Z (Eu, Tb, Ho, Tm, Lu, Ta, Ir and Au) rare-earth nuclei have been calculated using the shell correction method with an average Woods-Saxon potential and a monopole pairing residual interaction. Calculated equilibrium deformations of the lowest single-proton states are presented, and calculated band head excitation energies are compared with experimental proton band heads for odd-Z rare-earth nuclei. Good agreement is found between the experimental and calculated band heads. We find that strong polarisation effects due to the odd proton explain many of the systematic trends of known band heads. Different deformation driving forces of the odd-proton orbitals can also partly explain deviations seen in high-spin data. Shape co-existence effects in Ir and Au isotopes are discussed. In addition, equilibrium deformations of even-even rare-earth nuclei are computed and compared with experimental values.