Angular distribution for the elastic scattering of 36 MeV alpha particles from gold target has been measured fromϑ ∼ 10–56°. The cross-section data have been analyzed in terms of the optical model. The real part of the optical model potential (V_R) has been deduced by two prescriptions: (i) combining the volume integral, the radius at whichV_R=2.4 MeV and the slope at this radius (1/V_R) (dV_R/dr) (ii) combining the volume integral, the root mean square radius and the equivalent sharp radius systematics. The imaginary potential depth has been searched to fit the data. The prediction using (i) for the real potential fits the data the best.

High-spin states of ^95,97Mo (Z=42, N=53,55) nuclei have been investigated through ⁸²Se(¹⁸O, xn) reaction at Eb=60 MeV. The level scheme in ⁹⁵Mo has been observed upto ≏ 10 MeV in the present experiment. The level structure shows mainly single particle character. In ⁹⁷Mo, the ground state level sequence has been extended to ≏ 4.5 MeV while the previous information had been up to 2.4 MeV. A negative parity band built on 1437 keV (11/2⁻) excited state has been extended to 5.5 MeV. The structure seems to show a coexistence of single particle and collective modes of excitation. Properties of both the nuclei have been compared with shell model calculations using OXBASH.

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.