Yrast superdeformed band in 59cu

High-spin states in ⁵⁹Cu were populated using the fusion-evaporation reactions ²⁸Si+⁴⁰Ca at a beam energy of 125 MeV and ³⁶Ar+²⁸Si at a beam energy of 143 MeV. The Gammasphere array in conjunction with ancillary detector systems allowed for the identification of a superdeformed rotational band in ⁵⁹Cu, which was firmly linked to low-spin yrast states. Using directional correlations of oriented states, a spin-parity assignment of I^π = 25/2⁺ to the band head was possible. The average quadrupole moment of the band is measured to be Q^t = (2.24±0.40) e b. The characteristics of the band are compared to neighboring nuclei and predictions of different mean-field theories.