The $g$ factor of the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ state of $^{172}\mathrm{Hf}$ was measured using the perturbed angular correlation technique in a static external magnetic field. The result, $g({2}_{1}^{+})=0.25(5)$, is discussed in relation to the systematics of the previously reported $g$ factors in the Hf isotopes and compared with the predictions of several models. An interesting outcome of the analysis presented in this paper is the agreement between the calculated $g$ factors within the interacting boson approximation (IBA) and the results of a large-scale shell model calculation. This agreement supports the emphasis in the IBA on the valence space. The undershooting of the empirical $g$ factors near midshell in both models suggests that they underestimate the role of the saturation of collectivity, which is explicitly incorporated into a phenomenological model that agrees better with the data.

The g factor of the 2(1)(+) state of Hf-172 was measured using the perturbed angular correlation technique in a static external magnetic field. The result, g(2(1)(+))=0.25(5), is discussed in relation to the systematics of the previously reported g factors in the Hf isotopes and compared with the predictions of several models. An interesting outcome of the analysis presented in this paper is the agreement between the calculated g factors within the interacting boson approximation (IBA) and the results of a large-scale shell model calculation. This agreement supports the emphasis in the IBA on the valence space. The undershooting of the empirical g factors near midshell in both models suggests that they underestimate the role of the saturation of collectivity, which is explicitly incorporated into a phenomenological model that agrees better with the data.

A. Wolf,1,2 Z. Berant,1,2 A. Heinz,2 V. Werner,2 E. A. McCutchan,2 G. Gürdal,2,3 R. B. Cakirli,2,4 Y. Oktem,2,4 J. Ai,2 L. Amon,2,4 C. W. Beausang,5 D. S. Brenner,3 R. F. Casten,2 R. J. Casperson,2 K. Dusling,6 C. R. Fitzpatrick,2,7 A. B. Gransworthy,2,7 N. Pietralla,6,8 J. Qian,2 P. H. Regan,7 N. J. Thompson,2,7 E. Williams,2 and R. Winkler2 1Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-Sheva 84190, Israel 2Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA 3Chemistry Department, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, USA 4Department of Physics, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey 5University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173, USA 6Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA 7Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guilford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom, 8Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany (Received 21 August 2007; published 29 October 2007)

A. Wolf,1,2 Z. Berant,1,2 A. Heinz,2 V. Werner,2 E. A. McCutchan,2 G. Gürdal,2,3 R. B. Cakirli,2,4 Y. Oktem,2,4 J. Ai,2 L. Amon,2,4 C. W. Beausang,5 D. S. Brenner,3 R. F. Casten,2 R. J. Casperson,2 K. Dusling,6 C. R. Fitzpatrick,2,7 A. B. Gransworthy,2,7 N. Pietralla,6,8 J. Qian,2 P. H. Regan,7 N. J. Thompson,2,7 E. Williams,2 and R. Winkler2 1Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-Sheva 84190, Israel 2Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA 3Chemistry Department, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, USA 4Department of Physics, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey 5University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia 23173, USA 6Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA 7Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guilford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom, 8Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany (Received 21 August 2007; published 29 October 2007)