Crossing of shears bands in196Pb

High-spin states in¹⁹⁶Pb have been populated using the reaction¹⁷⁰Er(³⁰Si,4n). The previously observed shears bands in this nucleus have been extended and some of their transitions have been reordered. They now form regular bands with band crossings. One of the bands splits into two pathways at high spin.     

Superdeformed bands and ‘shears’ bands in 197Pb and 198Pb

Excited states in ¹⁹⁷Pb and ¹⁹⁸Pb, produced in the ¹⁸⁶W (¹⁸O,xn) reaction, were studied using the EUROGAM phase 2 γ ray spectrometer array. Two new superdeformed bands have been observed in ¹⁹⁷Pb, and the existence of a superdeformed band in ¹⁹⁸Pb has been confirmed. The increased statistics provided by the latest generation of arrays has resulted in the reordering of some of the previous known cascades of magnetic dipole transitions, with the first observation of the extremely weak E2 crossover transitions.     

Crossing of shears bands in (197)Pb: B(M1) values and semiclassical description

Subpicosecond lifetimes of states in shears band 1 in (197)Pb were measured by means of the recoil distance method employing Gammasphere and the New Yale Plunger Device. The extracted reduced matrix elements, B(M1), show a clear sensitivity to the crossing of different shears configurations reflecting the closing and reopening of the shears blades. The energies and B(M1) values in the band crossing region are successfully described in the framework of the semiclassical model of the shears bands. The relevance of core rotation contributions are shown. The results point to the existence of shears states with an angular momentum coupling angle larger than 90 degrees.     

A pair of excited superdeformed bands in196Pb

Two excited superdeformed bands have been found in¹⁹⁶Pb using the GASP-ray spectrometer array. They are signature-partner bands with a small signature splitting developing at higher frequencies, similar to bands 2 and 3 in the isotone¹⁹⁴Hg. The bands are probably built on an excited neutron configuration. They show an unusual incremental alignment of 1/2 with respect to the¹⁹⁴Pb core.Communicated by: B. Herskind     

New results on the superdeformed 196Pb nucleus: decay of the excited bands to the yrast band

The study of the superdeformed ¹⁹⁶Pb nucleus has been revisited using the EUROGAMphase 2 array. In addition to the known yrast and two excited SD bands, a third excited SD band has been found. All of the three excited bands were found to decay to the yrast SD band through presumably E1 transitions. Comparisons with calculations using RPAapproximation indicate that the excited bands can be interpreted as octupole-vibrational structures.     

Investigation of the magnetic rotation in 196Pb

Lifetimes for low-lying members of the irregular ΔI = 1 band in ¹⁹⁶Pb have been measured by means of the EUROBALL spectrometer using the coincidence recoil distance technique. The ¹⁶⁴Dy(³⁶S,4n)¹⁹⁶Pb reaction at a beam energy of 168 MeV was used. The data were analyzed with the differential decay-curve method (DDCM). A characteristic drop in the reduced transition probabilities with increasing angular momentum was observed in agreement with predictions by the semiclassical model for the shears mechanism. Received: 3 May 2001 / Accepted: 20 June 2001     

Shears bands in the Pb region

The properties of the M1 bands in the Pb region are reviewed. They can be explained by ‘magnetic rotation’ which is a new concept in nuclear excitations. Spin and excitation energy along the bands are increased by the shears effect, a step-by-step alignment of large proton-particle and large neutron-hole spins into the direction of the total angular momentum. First evidence is presented for band termination connected with the closing of the shears.     

Quadrupole moment of the 11(-) intruder isomer in 196Pb and its implications for the 16(-) shears band head

The quadrupole moment of the 11(-) isomer in 196Pb has been measured by the level mixing spectroscopy method. This state has a pi(3s(-2)(1/2)1h(9/2)1i(13/2))11(-) configuration which is involved in most of the shears band heads in the Pb region. The first directly measured value of Q(s)(11(-)) = (-)3.41(66) b, coupled to the previously known quadrupole moment of the nu(1i(-2)(13/2))12(+) isomer allows us to estimate the quadrupole moment of the 16(-) shears band head as Q(s)(16(-)) = -0.32(10) b. The experimental values are compared to tilted axis cranking calculations, giving insight into the validity of the additivity approach to couple quadrupole moments and on the amount of deformation in the shears bands.     

Dipole bands in the oblate-shaped195Pb

The nucleus¹⁹⁵Pb has been populated with the¹⁸⁴W+¹⁶O reaction at 113 MeV. Two dipole γ-ray cascades have been observed using the EUROGAM spectrometer. A comprehensive level scheme related to these structures has been established. Multiparticle configurations are attributed to these high-spin structures from detailed comparison with the neighbouring nuclei,¹⁹³Hg,¹⁹⁴Pb and¹⁹⁵Tl. Band crossings due to i13/2 neutron pair breaking are observed in¹⁹⁵Pb at about the same frequencies as in the isotone¹⁹³Hg.

     

Octupole vibrations of the superdeformed196Pb nucleus

The study of the superdeformed (SD)¹⁹⁶Pb nucleus has been revisited using the Eurogam Phase 2 spectrometer. All of the three observed excited SD bands were found to decay to the yrast SD band through, presumably,E1 transitions, allowing relative spin and excitation energy assignments. Comparisons with calculations using the random-phase approximation suggest that all three excited bands can be interpreted as octupole vibrational structures.     

Dipole bands and multi-quasiparticle excitations in 193Pb

The nucleus ¹⁹³Pb was populated via the ¹⁶⁸Er(³⁰Si,5n) reaction at a beam energy of 159 MeV and studied with the EUROGAM II spectrometer. Five new dipole Δ I = 1 cascades have been found. These structures have been connected to the level scheme which has been considerably extended up to a spin of ? and an excitation energy of about 8 MeV. Angular distribution coefficients, a₂, have been measured and confirm the dipole character of the in-band transitions. B(M1)/B(E2) ratios have been extracted for the two most intense cascades. The ¹⁹³Pb dipole bands are discussed in comparison with those known in odd lead isotopic series and the structure of the band heads is analyzed in terms of microscopic HF+BCS calculations. The proposed configurations are based on a high-K two quasiproton excitation, π ([505]9/2^t? ? [606]13/2⁺)_K=11^t -, coupled to one or three rotation aligned quasineutrons involving the i_13/2, p _3/2, f_5/2 and/or h{9/2} subshells. The main difference, compared with the heavier lead isotopes, is the presence of large Ω orbitals from the ν (i_13/2) shell near the Fermi surface which are responsible for the increasing band-head spin as A decreases.     

Dipole bands and multi-quasiparticle excitations in193Pb

The nucleus¹⁹³Pb was populated via the¹⁶⁸Er(³⁰Si,5n) reaction at a beam energy of 159 MeV and studied with the EUROGAM II spectrometer. Five new dipoleΔI=1 cascades have been found. These structures have been connected to the level scheme which has been considerably extended up to a spin of 61/2? and an excitation energy of about 8 MeV. Angular distribution coefficients,α ₂, have been measured and confirm the dipole character of the in-band transitions. B(M1)/B(E2) ratios have been extracted for the two most intense cascades. The¹⁹³Pb dipole bands are discussed in comparison with those known in odd lead isotopic series and the structure of the band heads is analyzed in terms of microscopic HF-BCS calculations. The proposed configurations are based on a high-K two quasiproton excitation,π([505]9/2^??[606]13/2⁺) _K =11^?, coupled to one or three rotation aligned quasineutrons involving thei _13/2,p _3/2,f _5/2 and/orh _9/2 subshells. The main difference, compared with the heavier lead isotopes, is the presence of largeΩ orbitals from theν (i _13/2) shell near the Fermi surface which are responsible for the increasing band-head spin as A decreases.     

Superdeformation in Pb: Observation of three additional excited bands

The superdeformed nucleus ¹⁹³Pb has been studied following a heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reaction with the Gammasphere spectrometer array. Three new superdeformed bands, two of them probably signature partners, have been observed, bringing the total number of superdeformed bands known in this nucleus to nine. An estimate of the g-factor associated with one of the previously known pairs of strongly coupled excited bands has been made, confirming their configuration. The properties of the bands are compared with the results of cranked shell model calculations; good agreement is found and configurations are assigned to each band. The two new signature partner bands are suggested to be based on the two signatures of the [512]5/2 neutron orbital. The third new band is probably based on the 7₃ intruder orbital. In addition, the high-energy region of the spectrum in coincidence with the yrast superdeformed bands has been carefully studied. The current data provide no evidence for the previously reported transitions linking the superdeformed and normal-deformed states with energies around 2.2–2.4 MeV.     

Crossing of negative parity bands in even-even nuclei around A≈150

Level energies of negative parity yrast bands (NPB) have been studied with a recently proposed, sensitive method. The irregular behaviour of the NPB's in theN=88 nuclei around spin 9–11 and the smooth behaviour in¹⁵⁶Dy (up toI=13) and in²³⁸U (up to I=19) support calculations by Vogel, where NPB's are described as aligned octupole bands up to a critical spin where intersection with two-quasiparticle bands takes place. Considering the NPB levels (I≦13) in¹⁵⁶Dy as members of an aligned octupole band, we obtain a remarkably good reproduction of their decay properties and energies using the VMI model.     

Excitation energies of superdeformed States in 196Pb: towards a systematic study of the second well in Pb isotopes

The excitation energy of the lowest-energy superdeformed band in 196Pb is established using the techniques of time-correlated gamma-ray spectroscopy. Together with previous measurements on 192Pb and 194Pb, this result allows superdeformed excitation energies, binding energies, and two-proton and two-neutron separation energies to be studied systematically, providing stringent tests for current nuclear models. The results are examined for evidence of a "superdeformed shell gap."     

相对论平均场理论对196Pb超形变态的研究

在形变约束的相对论平均场理论框架下, 用TMA, PK1, NL3和NL-SH相互作用对¹⁹⁶Pb的超形变态进行了系统研究. 给出了¹⁹⁶Pb的位能曲线、基态和超形变态的形变以及超形变态退激的激发能. ¹⁹⁶Pb的基态为β₂≈－0.15的扁椭球, 超形变激发态为β₂≈0.60的长椭球, 激发能在4－5MeV之间, 势阱深度在1－2.2MeV之间. 这些结果与最近观测的实验数据符合得非常好, 表明相对论平均场理论能够较好地描述¹⁹⁶Pb超形变转动带带首的能量.     

Probing the order-to-chaos region in superdeformed 151Tb and 196Pb nuclei with continuum gamma transitions

The gamma decay associated with the warm rotation of the superdeformed nuclei 151Tb and 196Pb has been measured with the EUROBALL IV array. Several independent quantities provide a stringent test of the population and decay dynamics in the superdeformed well. A Monte Carlo simulation of the gamma decay based on microscopic calculations gives remarkable agreement with the data only assuming a large enhancement of the B(E1) strength for 1-2 MeV gamma rays, which may be related to the evidence for octupole vibrations in both mass regions.