LAUSR

Excited states in the neutron-rich nucleus Fe 68 were populated using a Be 9 ( Co 68 , 68 Fe + γ ) X charge-exchange reaction at 95 MeV/u. The new γ -ray transitions reported here for the first time complement data from β -decay studies and nucleon knockout reactions. In comparison to shell-model calculations with the LNPS effective interaction, two candidate states for the 6 1 + level emerge. The distinct population pattern of excited states and the magnitude of the cross section, σ inc = 0.51 ( 6 ) mb, make this reaction a promising one for future in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy. Reaction calculations with nuclear structure input from a new, locally optimized Hamiltonian, f 7 j 4 a , together with general considerations for heavy-ion-induced charge-exchange reactions appear consistent with most of the observations, although challenges remain.