The level structure of 136 Nd has been investigated using the 100 Mo(40 Ar, 4n) reaction and the JUROGAM II+RITU+GREAT setup. The level scheme has been extended significantly. Many new bands have been identified both at low and high spin, among which are five nearly degenerate bands interpreted as chiral partners. Excitation energies, spins, and parities of the previously known bands are revised and firmly established, and some previously known bands have been revised. Configurations are assigned to the observed bands based on cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations. The band structure of 136 Nd is now clarified and the various types of single-particle and collective excitations are well understood.

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Evidence for chiral doublet bands has been observed for the first time in the even-even nucleus 136 Nd. One chiral band was firmly established. Four other candidates for chiral bands were also identified, which can contribute to the realization of the multiple pairs of chiral doublet bands (Mχ D) phenomenon. The observed bands are investigated by the constrained and tilted axis cranking covariant density functional theory (TAC-CDFT). Possible configurations have been explored. The experimental energy spectra, angular momenta, and B(M1)/B(E2) values for the assigned configurations are globally reproduced by TAC-CDFT. Calculated results support the chiral interpretation of the observed bands, which correspond to shapes with maximum triaxiality induced by different multiquasiparticle configurations in 136 Nd.

One new pair of positive-parity chiral doublet bands have been identified in the odd-A nucleus 135 Nd which together with the previously reported negative-parity chiral doublet bands constitute a third case of multiple chiral doublet (MχD) bands in the A ≈ 130 mass region. The properties of the MχD bands are well reproduced by constrained covariant density functional theory and particle rotor model calculations. The newly observed MχD bands in 135 Nd represents an important milestone in supporting the existence of MχD in nuclei.

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