Decays of the {sup 97}Y isomers to the single neutron nucleus {sup 97}Zr

The decays of the 9/2{sup +} and of the three-quasiparticle high spin isomer in {sup 97}Y have been investigated following on-line mass separation with the ion-guide technique. Spins and parities for several of the lowest-lying levels in the daughter nucleus {sup 97}Zr are revised and configurations are proposed. In particular, the 2264 keV level is identified as the {ital h}{sub 11/2} single-neutron level. The population of a cascade on top of the {ital h}{sub 11/2} level provides evidence for Gamow-Teller {beta} decay of the high-spin {sup 97}Y isomer. Levels and transition rates are qualitatively well reproduced by regarding {sup 97}Zr as a single-neutron nucleus with respect to the doubly closed {sup 96}Zr core. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}