Evidence for isovector neutron-proton pairing from high-spin states in N=Z Rb-74

High-spin states in the odd-odd N=Z nucleus Rb-74(37)37 were studied using the Ca-40(Ca-40,alphanp) reaction. A previously observed odd-spin T=0 band has been extended to I-pi=(31(+)) and an even-spin T=0 band has been observed for the first time to I-pi=(22(+)); both have a pi(g(9/2))circle timesnu(g(9/2)) structure. A strongly coupled low-spin T=0,K=3 band has been interpreted as being based upon a pi[312]3/2 circle timesnu[312]3/2 configuration. Cranked relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov calculations, which are corrected for the t=1 np-pair field by restoring isospin symmetry, reproduce the observed spectrum. These new results provide evidence for the existence of an isovector pair field that contains a neutron-proton component with the proper strength for ensuring isospin conservation