Coupling of the proton-hole and neutron-particle states in the neutron-rich (48)K isotope

Excited states in the Z = 19, N = 29 neutron-rich (48)K isotope have been studied using deep-inelastic transfer reactions with a thick target at Gammasphere and with a thin target at the PRISMA-CLARA spectrometer. The lowest excited states were located; they involve a proton hole in the s(1/2) or d(3/2) orbital coupled to a p(3/2) neutron. A new 7.1(5)-ns, 5(+) isomer, the analog of the 7/2 isomer in (47)K, was identified. Based on the observed gamma-decay pattern of the isomer a revised spin-parity assignment of 1(-) is proposed for the ground state of (48)K.