High-spin structure, K isomers, and state mixing in the neutron-rich isotopes 173Tm and 175Tm

High-spin states in the odd-proton thulium isotopes 173Tm and 175Tm have been studied using deep-inelastic reactions and γ-ray spectroscopy. In 173Tm, the low-lying structure has been confirmed and numerous new states have been identified, including a three-quasiparticle Kπ= 19/2^- isomer with a lifetime of τ=360(100)ns at 1906keV and a five-quasiparticle Kπ=35/2^- isomer with a lifetime of τ= 175(40)ns at 4048keV. The Kπ=35/2^- state is interpreted as a t-band configuration that shows anomalously fast decays. In 175Tm, the low-lying structure has been reevaluated, a candidate state for the 9/2^-[514] orbital has been identified at 1175keV, and the 7/2^-[523] bandhead has been measured to have a lifetime of τ= 460(50)ns. Newly identified high-K structures in 175Tm include a Kπ=15/2^- isomer with a lifetime of τ= 64(3)ns at 947keV and a Kπ= 23/2⁺ isomer with a lifetime of τ= 30(20) μs at 1518keV. The Kπ=15/2^- isomer shows relatively enhanced decays to the 7/2^-[523] band that can be explained by chance mixing with the 15/2^- member of the 7/2^- band. Multiquasiparticle calculations have been performed for 173Tm and 175Tm, the results of which compare well with the experimentally observed high-spin states.