Probing exotic cross-shell interactions at N=28 with single-neutron transfer on 47K

TL;DR

This study investigates the structure of $^{48}$K through a novel transfer reaction measurement, revealing discrepancies with shell-model predictions and challenging current understanding of light $N=28$ nuclei.

Contribution

First measurement of $^{47}$K(d,pγ)$^{48}$K transfer reaction, extending the level scheme and testing shell-model interactions in $N=28$ nuclei.

Findings

Nine new bound excited states identified in $^{48}$K

Discrepancies found between experimental data and shell-model calculations

Current models overestimate spectroscopic factors and poorly reproduce 1$^-$ state energies

Abstract

We present the first measurement of the $^{47}$K($d,p\gamma$)$^{48}$K transfer reaction, performed in inverse kinematics using a reaccelerated beam of $^{47}$K. The level scheme of $^{48}$K has been greatly extended with nine new bound excited states identified and spectroscopic factors deduced. Detailed comparisons with SDPF-U and SDPF-MU shell-model calculations reveal a number of discrepancies with these results, and a preference for SDPF-MU is found. Intriguingly, an apparent systematic overestimation of spectroscopic factors and a poor reproduction of the energies for 1$^-$ states suggests that the mixing between the $\pi s^{\,\,\,1}_{1/2} d^{\,\,\,4}_{3/2}$ and $\pi s^{\,\,\,2}_{1/2} d^{\,\,\,3}_{3/2}$ proton configurations in $^{48}$K is not correctly described using current interactions, challenging our descriptions of light $N=28$ nuclei.