Spectroscopy of ⁴¹Sc by resonant scattering of protons: Observation of an intermediate structure

Excitation functions of elastic and inelastic scattering of protons on ⁴⁰Ca have been measured for incident proton energies between 4.8 and 8.2 MeV. Spin and parity assignments and partial width determinations of ⁴¹Sc states between 5.8 and 8.7 MeV excitation energy have been made on the basis of quantitative analyses of the data for the different inelastic channels. Intermediate structure has been identified in the excitation function for the inelastic scattering to the 3^- (3.73 MeV) state in ⁴⁰Ca. This has been interpreted as being due to the presence of a state in ⁴¹Sc which consists primarily of the core nucleus ⁴⁰Ca in its 3^- state with a 2p particle weakly coupled to it.