Abstract
Lifetimes of states in were measured using the recoil distance method following Coulomb excitation of by a 132 MeV beam. The experiment was performed at the Yale Tandem accelerator, employing the SPEEDY gamma-ray detector array and the New Yale Plunger Device. Reduced transition probabilities in are compared to the predictions of the critical point symmetry X(5) of the phase/shape transition that occurs for the rare earth isotones. Very good agreement was observed between the parameter-free (apart from scale) X(5) predictions and the low-spin level scheme of , revealing this as the best case thus far for the realization of the X(5) symmetry.
- Received 11 December 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.232501
©2002 American Physical Society