Shape coexistence and extreme deformations near<i>A</i>=80

Abstract

The neutron deficient Sr and Zr nuclei are studied in the relativistic mean-field approach. Large deformations and shape coexistence are predicted for these nuclei in the vicinity of the proton drip line. The charge radii are found to increase with the removal of neutrons from the semimagic $^{88}\mathrm{Sr}$ and $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$, in close agreement with the recent isotopic-shift measurements.