Multinucleon transfer reactions between ${}_{}{}^{170}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Er}$ ions and ${}_{}{}^{\mathrm{nat}}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{W}$ targets with on-line mass separation were used to produce neutron-rich A=168 isotopes. β and γ spectroscopy was used to study the decay of these activities. A new isomer of holmium, ${}_{}{}^{168}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ho}_{}^{\mathit{m}}{}_{}{}^{}$, was identified to decay by an isomeric transition with a half-life of 132(4) s. A decay scheme for the most neutron-rich A=168 isotope, 8.8(3)-min ${}_{}{}^{168}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Dy}$, was determined. Also, a new ${\mathit{Q}}_{\mathrm{\beta }}^{\mathrm{-}}$ value of 2.93(3) MeV for the decay of 3.0-min ${}_{}{}^{168}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ho}_{}^{\mathit{g}}{}_{}{}^{}$ has been obtained.

• Received 16 August 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.42.R1796