Single-particle configurations of the excited states of Po 203

Excited states of the Po203 (Z=84,N=119) have been investigated after populating them through Pt194(C13,4n) fusion-evaporation reaction at Ebeam=74 MeV and using a large array of Compton-suppressed HPGe clover detectors as the detection setup for the emitted γ rays. Standard techniques of γ-ray spectroscopy have been applied towards establishing the level structure of the nucleus. Twenty five new γ-ray transitions have been identified therein, through γ-γ coincidence measurements, and spin-parity assignments of several states have been determined or confirmed, following the angular correlation and linear polarization measurements on the observed γ rays. The excited states have been interpreted in the framework of large basis shell-model calculations, while comparing their calculated and experimental energies. They have been principally ascribed to proton population in the h9/2 and i13/2 orbitals outside the Z=82 closure and neutron occupation of the f5/2, p3/2, and i13/2 orbitals in the N=126 shell.