High-spin states of ${}_{}{}^{143}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Nd}$ have been studied using the ${}_{}{}^{130}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Te}$${(}^{18}$O,5n) reaction at 85 MeV. The yrast states observed up to a tentatively assigned spin of 45/2 can be described in a remarkably simple way by the weak coupling of an ${\mathit{f}}_{7/2}$ neutron to the ${}_{}{}^{142}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Nd}$ core nucleus. Our results demonstrate that ${}_{}{}^{143}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Nd}$ is one of the best known examples of weak coupling at high angular momentum.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.50.R1759