Comparison of superdeformed bands in ${}^{61}\mathrm{Zn}$ and ${}^{60}\mathrm{Zn}$: Possible evidence for $T=0\mathrm{}$ pairing

The yrast superdeformed band in ${}^{61}\mathrm{Zn}$ has been established using ${}^{28}\mathrm{Si}{(}^{36}\mathrm{Ar},$ ${2pn)}^{61}\mathrm{Zn}$ and ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}{(}^{29}\mathrm{Si},$ $2\alpha {)}^{61}\mathrm{Zn}$ fusion-evaporation reactions. The excitation energy of this band was determined via two transitions that link this band to the normally deformed states. Lifetime analysis of this band resulted in a quadrupole moment of $Q_t=3.0\mathrm{}{\pm }_{0.4}^{0.5}e\mathrm{b},$ which corresponds to a deformation of ${\beta }_2=0.50\mathrm{}{\pm }_{0.06}^{0.07}.$ A comparison of the $J^{\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}$ dynamical moments of inertia of the yrast superdeformed band in ${}^{61}\mathrm{Zn}$ with those in ${}^{60}\mathrm{Zn}$ shows a nearly complete blocking of the observed alignment in ${}^{60}\mathrm{Zn},$ indicating that $T=0\mathrm{}$ proton-neutron pair correlations may be present in ${}^{60}\mathrm{Zn}.$