NEGATIVE PARITY STATES IN 68<font>Ge</font>: EXPERIMENT AND THEORY

High spin negative parity states have been studied in 68 Ge via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy at HHIRF. Several close-lying 7−, 9−, and 11− states are observed with a 13− to tentatively 17− cascade feeding them. Numerous E1 crossing transitions between the negative and positive parity levels are observed, along with possible M1 connecting transitions between the low lying negative parity bands. Previous microscopic calculations of the shape coexisting positive parity levels have been extended to the negative parity levels. The calculations used the EXCITED VAMPIR model based on complex HFB transformations with neutron-proton correlations and parity mixing in the mean field. The complex decay pattern and multiple high spin negative parity bands can be explained by a variable strength of mixing of the different deformed configurations which are bunched in small excitation intervals.