Deformed shell model (DSM) based on Hartree-Fock intrinsic states is applied to address two current problems of interest. Firstly, in the $f_{ 5/2}pg_{ 9/2}$ model space with jj44b effective interaction along with isospin projection, DSM is used to describe the structure of the recently observed low-lying $T=0$ and $T=1$ bands in the heavy odd-odd N=Z nucleus $^{ 66}$As. DSM results are close to the data and also to the shell model results. For the $T=1$ band, DSM predicts structural change at $8^+$ just as in the shell model. In addition, the lowest two $T=0$ bands are found to have quasi-deuteron structure above a $^{ 64}$Ge core and the $5^+$ and $9^+$ levels of the third $T=0$ band are found to be isomeric states. Secondly, in a first application of DSM to dark matter, detection rates for the lightest supersymmetric particle (a dark matter candidate) are calculated with $^{ 73}$Ge as the detector.
Categories: nucl-th