Observation of a πh_9/2 ⊗ νi_13/2 oblate band in ¹⁸⁸Tl

Excited states in Tl-188 have been studied experimentally using the Gd-157(Cl-35;4n) reaction at a beam energy of 170 MeV. A rotational band built on the pi h(9/2) x nu i(13/2) configuration with oblate deformation has been established for Tl-188. Based on the structure systematics of the oblate pi h(9/2) x nu i(13/2) bands in the heavier odd-odd Tl nuclei, we have tentatively proposed spin values for the new band in Tl-188. The pi h(9/2) x nu i(13/2) oblate band in Tl-188 shows low-spin signature inversion, and it can be interpreted qualitatively by the two-quasiparticle plus rotor model including a J-dependent p-n residual interaction.