Origin of the anomalous population of long-lived isomers in odd-ATe isotopes

Abstract

The anomalously high activation yield of the ${11/2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ isomeric states in odd-$A$ Te isotopes in the $(n,\ensuremath{\gamma}),$ $(\ensuremath{\gamma},n),$ and $(\ensuremath{\gamma},{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ reactions could be understood by the funneling of the initial gateway states through the lowest isolated ${5/2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ state. The peculiar deexcitation mode is governed by favored $M1,$ $E2$ transitions inside the family of negative-parity states built in accordance with IBFM calculations by a coupling of the dominant ${1h}_{11/2}$ and $3p$ configurations to the neighboring bosonic even-even core.