Comment on "Spin-trap isomers in deformed, odd-odd nuclei in the light rare-earth region near $N=98$"

Abstract

A new isomeric $(4^{-})$ state at 285.5(32) keV in ${}^{162}$Tb was reported by R. Orford et al. [Phys. Rev. C 102, 011303(R) (2020)] based on a Penning-trap mass measurement. Here we show that this result is not compatible with existing experimental data. The state identified as ${}^{162}$Tb${}^m$ with a mass-excess value of $-65593.9(25)$ keV is actually the $1^{-}$ ground state. The state identified as the ground state of ${}^{162}$Tb is most likely a molecular contaminant with the same mass-over-charge ratio.

Comments: 2 pages, 1 figure; comment on https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.102.011303