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 Tm-173 and Tm-175 have been studied using deep-inelastic reactions and gamma-ray spectroscopy. In Tm-173, the low-lying structure has been confirmed and numerous new states have been identified, including a three-quasiparticle K-pi = 19/2(-) isomer with a lifetime of tau = 360(100) ns at 1906 keV and a five-quasiparticle K-pi = 35/2(-) isomer with a lifetime of tau = 175(40) ns at 4048 keV. The K-pi = 35/2(-) state is interpreted as a t-band configuration that shows anomalously fast decays. In Tm-175, the low-lying structure has been reevaluated, a candidate state for the 9/2(-) [514] orbital has been identified at 1175 keV, and the 7/2(-)[523] bandhead has been measured to have a lifetime of tau = 460(50) ns. Newly identified high-K structures in Tm-175 include a K-pi = 15/2(-) isomer with a lifetime of tau = 64(3) ns at 947 keV and a K-pi = 23/2(+) isomer with a lifetime of tau = 30(20) mu s at 1518 keV. The K-pi = 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 Tm-173 and Tm-175, the results of which compare well with the experimentally observed high-spin states.