IDENTIFICATION AND QUADRUPOLE-MOMENT MEASUREMENT OF A SUPERDEFORMED BAND IN ZR-84

High-spin states in Zr-84 were studied using the early implementation phase of the Gammasphere array and the ''Microball'' charged-particle detector system. A cascade of nine gamma rays with a dynamic moment of inertia which is characteristic of superdeformed rotational bands in the A = 80 region has been identified and assigned to Zr-84. The measured transition quadrupole moment of the band corresponds to a prolate quadrupole deformation of beta(2) = 0.53 and confirms the superdeformed nature of this band. This is the first direct experimental confirmation of the existence of the predicted superdeformed shell gap at N similar or equal to 44 particle number.