Complete set of bound negative-parity states in the neutron-rich nucleus ¹⁸N

High-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy of 18N is performed with the Advanced GAmma Tracking Array, following deep-inelastic processes induced by an 18O beam on a 181Ta target. Six states are newly identified, which together with the three known excitations exhaust all negative-parity excited states expected in 18N below the neutron threshold. Spin and parities are proposed for all located states on the basis of decay branchings and comparison with large-scale shell-model calculations performed in the p-sd space, with the YSOX interaction. Of particular interest is the location of the 0−1 and 1−2 excitations, which provide strong constrains for cross-shell p-sd matrix elements based on realistic interactions and help to simultaneously reproduce the ground and first-excited states in 16N and 18N, for the first time. Understanding the 18N structure may also have significant impact on neutron-capture cross-section calculations in r-process modeling including light neutron-rich nuclei.