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Recently, the idea of quantum phase transitions has been applied to equilibrium shape changes in finite atomic nuclei. An introduction to and discussion of this concept, both from the macroscopic perspective and from a microscopic approach, in terms of shell structure and residual interactions is presented. Following this, the quantitative predictions of the critical point symmetries (CPS) X(5) and E(5) are discussed in some detail and compared to the data in a number of nuclei and mass regions. Any successful new model paradigm soon generates modifications to improve the predictions and, likewise, often spawns related models inspired by the original ansatz. This is eminently true of the CPS and we make an effort to briefly discuss this rapidly advancing area in terms of a number of recent modifications to the CPS as well as related models that are couched in a geometrical perspective.

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An exactly separable version of the Bohr Hamiltonian is developed using a potential of the form u(β) + u(γ)/β 2 , with the Davidson potential u(β) = β 2 + β 4 0 /β 2 (where β 0 is the position of the minimum) and a stiff harmonic oscillator for u(γ) centered at γ = 0 • . In the resulting solution, called exactly separable Davidson (ES-D), the ground state band, γ band and 0 + 2 band are all treated on an equal footing. The bandheads, energy spacings within bands, and a number of interband and intraband B(E2) transition rates are well reproduced for almost all well-deformed rare earth and actinide nuclei using two parameters (β 0 , γ stiffness). Insights regarding the recently found correlation between γ stiffness and the γ-bandhead energy, as well as the long standing problem of producing a level scheme with Interacting Boson Approximation SU(3) degeneracies from the Bohr Hamiltonian, are also obtained.