Excited bands and signature dependent electromagnetic decay properties in neutron-rich ^159,161,163Dy

High-spin states of the neutron-rich odd nuclei ^159,161,163Dy have been studied using the incomplete fusion reactions ^158,160Gd(⁷Li,(p,d,t)xn). In ¹⁵⁹Dy, the band crossing in the 11/2^-[505] band has been observed for the first time. Moreover, 11 E1 transitions connecting both signatures of the 3/2^-[521] band to the 5/2⁺[642] band have been observed in this nucleus; the deduced B(E1)/B(E2) ratios as well as the B(M1)/B(E2) ratios for transitions within the 3/2^-[521] band show a pronounced signature dependence. In ¹⁶¹Dy and ¹⁶³Dy, rotational bands have been extended to significantly higher spin values. In ¹⁶¹Dy, the sequences built on the neutron 5/2^-[523] and 3/2^-[521] states have been followed up to spin 49/2^- and 33/2^-, respectively, and in both cases upbends have been observed around hℏ ω ≈0.26 MeV. In addition, a new band most probably built on the 11/2^-[505] single-particle state has been identified in this isotope. In ¹⁶³Dy, both the 5/2^-[523] ground state band and the structure built on the 5/2⁺[642] neutron orbit have been extended up to the 45/2^- and 49/2⁺ states, respectively. However, no band crossing has been observed in this nucleus. The properties of the observed bands in ^159,161,163Dy are discussed and compared to calculations performed within the projected shell model.