Observation and Quadrupole-Moment Measurement of the First Superdeformed Band in the A ∼ 60 Mass Region

A high-spin rotational cascade of six γ rays has been observed in 62Zn. The quadrupole moment of 2.7-0.5+0.7 e b measured for this band corresponds to a deformation β2=0.45-0.07+0.10. The properties of this band are in excellent agreement with calculations that predict high-spin superdeformed bands in 62Zn with deformations β2=0.41–0.49. These results establish a new region of superdeformation for nuclei with neutron and proton numbers N,Z≈30–32.