Laser spectroscopy investigation of the nuclear moments and radii of lutetium isotopes

Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments in the LuI transition $5d6s\!^{2} \; ^{2}\!D_{3/2} \rightarrow 5d6s6p \; ^{2}\!D_{3/2}$ were performed on all lutetium isotopes in the range of $^{161-179}$Lu. The nuclear spins, magnetic moments and quadrupole moments were determined from the hyperfine structures observed for 19 ground states and 11 isomers. Variations in the mean square charge radii as a function of neutron number were obtained from the isotope shifts. These data considerably extend the systematics of the properties of nuclei in the upper rare-earth region. A particular feature is the appearance of high-spin and low-spin ground states and isomeric states in the vicinity of the stable $^{175}$Lu, partly arising from aligned neutron pairs. The present results clearly show that the deformation properties are nearly independent of the occupancy and the coupling of single-particle states. Theoretical predictions of deformation are confirmed in a consistent description of the measured radii and quadrupole moments. For all observed states, the spins and magnetic moments allow the assignment of rather pure Nilsson configurations.