Structure evolution and phase transition in odd-mass nuclei

The evolution of level structures due to the unique parity orbitals g(9/2), h(11/2), and i(13/2) in odd-mass nuclei from Zn to Am is studied within a unified framework, by correlations between ratios of excitation energies in both odd-mass nuclei and their even-even core nuclei. These plots reveal regularities that can be understood in terms of the particle-plus-rotor model, as evolutions along its three limiting coupling schemes: weak coupling, decoupling, and strong coupling, and transitions between them. Peculiar transitions between the decoupling and strong coupling schemes are found in both i(13/2) structures of neutron-odd nuclei and h(11/2) structures of proton-odd nuclei, at neutron numbers around 90 and 70, respectively. These are correlated with the critical shape phase transitions from vibrator to rotor from the even-even nuclei in the same regions and are characterized as critical phase transitions too. This behavior is corroborated with a nonmonotonic behavior of the differential variation of the two-neutron separation energies in the same nuclear regions.