An introduction to the interacting boson-fermion model

Spectra of odd-even medium mass and heavy nuclei are rather complex since they arise from the interplay between collective and single particle degrees of freedom. Their properties can be discussed in terms of simple models only in a limited number of cases, as, for example, in spherical nuclei (where the shell model can be applied in a straight forward way), or in nuclei with a rigid axially symmetric deformation (where the deformed shell model, or Nilsson model, can be used). Neither of these models, can, however, be applied to the large majority of nuclei, those forming the transitional classes. In the last few years, a model for odd-even nuclei has been introduced which is, on one side relatively simple, but which, on the other side, is able to describe the large variety of observed spectra. In this model, the collective degrees of freedom are described by bosons, while the single particle degrees of freedom are described by fermions, hence the name interacting boson-fermion model given to it. The authors describes the basic features of the model concentrating my attention to those cases that can be solved analytically, without resorting to numerical calculations. These analytical results are obtained by making use of group theory