First Measurement of Collectivity of Coexisting Shapes Based on Type II Shell Evolution: The Case of ^{96} Zr

Author(s): C. Kremer, S. Aslanidou, S. Bassauer, M. Hilcker, A. Krugmann, P. von Neumann-Cosel, T. Otsuka, N. Pietralla, V. Yu. Ponomarev, N. Shimizu, M. Singer, G. Steinhilber, T. Togashi, Y. Tsunoda, V. Werner, and M. Zweidinger

High-resolution inelastic electron scattering on ${}^{96}$Zr establishes shape coexistence—where two nearby states possess distinct shapes—for this nucleus. Monte Carlo shell-model calculations indicate that the shape change in Zr isotopes is a quantum phase transition.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 172503] Published Mon Oct 17, 2016