Spin-gap isomer in 96Cd

Evidence has been obtained for the existence of the long predicted 16+ spin-gap isomer in 96Cd. The decay of the isomer was identified and studied following the use of an 850 MeV/u beam of 124Xe impinging on a Be target and the fragment recoil separator at the GSI Laboratory. Gamma decays from the fragments were detected using the RISING gamma ray array, in its stopped beam configuration, plus a silicon active stopper. The data obtained have been compared with shell modelpredictions, which indicate that the isoscalarneutron-proton interaction plays a key role in the formation of the isomer.