The level structure of 140 60 Nd 80 has been established up to spin 48 by in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy by use of the 96 Zr( 48 Ca, 4n) reaction. High-fold γ -ray coincidences were measured with the EUROBALL spectrometer. Twelve new rotational bands have been discovered at high spins. They are interpreted as being formed in a deep triaxial minimum at ε 2 ≈ 0.25 and γ ≈ 35 • . Possible configurations are assigned to the observed bands on the basis of configuration-dependent cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations.

A search for isomeric states was performed in the nucleus 140 60 Nd 80 using in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy and the 126 Te( 18 O,4n) reaction. Prompt and delayed γ -ray coincidences were measured with the AFRODITE spectrometer using the pulsed beam delivered by the Separated Sector Cyclotron of iThemba LABS. One new isomer was identified, with spin-parity I π = 20 + and lifetime T 1/2 400 ns, at an excitation energy E x = 7430 keV. The lifetime of the 10 + isomer at E x = 3619 keV was determined to be 32.9(1.8) ns, confirming the previously reported value. The configuration of the I π = 20 + isomer is assigned based on configuration-dependent cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky (CNS) calculations as a state π (d 5/2 g 7/2 ) −4 10 + ⊗ν (h −2 11/2 ) 10 + , with the spin vectors of the six holes in the 146 64 Gd 82 core fully aligned.

No abstract