Favored configurations for four-quasiparticle K isomerism in the heaviest nuclei

Configuration-constrained potential-energy-surface calculations are performed including beta 6 deformation to investigate high-K isomeric states in nuclei around No-254 and (270)Ds, the heaviest nuclei where there have been some observations of two-quasiparticle isomers, while data for four-quasiparticle isomers are scarce. We predict the prevalent occurrence of four-quasiparticle isomeric states in these nuclei, together with their favored configurations. The most notable examples, among others, are K-Pi = 20(+) states in (266,268)Ds and (268,270)Cn having very high K value, relatively low excitation energy, and well-deformed axially symmetric shape. The predicted isomeric states, with hindered spontaneous fission and a decay, could play a significant role in the future study of superheavy nuclei.