Excited states in ;{152}Sm have been investigated with the ;{152}Sm(n,n;{'}gamma) reaction. The lowest four negative-parity band structures have been characterized in detail with respect to their absolute decay properties. Specifically, a new K;{pi} = 0;{-} band has been assigned with its 1;{-} band head at 1681 keV. This newly observed band has a remarkable similarity in its E1 transition rates for decay to the first excited K;{pi} = 0;{+} band at 684 keV to the lowest K;{pi} = 0;{-} band and its decay to the ground-state band. Based on these decay properties, as well as energy considerations, this new band is assigned as a K;{pi} = 0;{-} octupole excitation based on the K;{pi} = 0_{2};{+} state. An emerging pattern of repeating excitations built on the 0_{2};{+} level similar to those built on the ground state may indicate that ;{152}Sm is a complex example of shape coexistence rather than a critical point nucleus.

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The ␤ decay of 11 Li has been investigated at TRIUMF-ISAC using a high-efficiency array of Compton suppressed HPGe detectors. From a line-shape analysis of the Doppler-broadened peaks observed in the 10 Be ␥ spectrum, both the half-lives of states in 10 Be and the energies of the ␤-delayed neutrons feeding those states were obtained. Furthermore, it was possible to determine the excitation energies of the parent states in 11 Be with uncertainties comparable to those obtained from neutron spectroscopy experiments. These data suggest that the ␤ decay to the 8.81 MeV state in 11 Be occurs in the 9 Li core and that one neutron comprising the halo of 11 Li survives in a halolike configuration after the ␤-delayed neutron emission from this level.

A study of the β + /EC decay of 110 In into levels of 110 Cd is combined with a reanalysis of data from a previous study of 110 Cd with the (n, n ′ γ) reaction with monoenergetic neutrons. The γγ coincidences from the 110 In decay leads to many new assignments of γ rays observed in the (n, n ′ γ) reaction, permitting the observation of weak low-energy transitions, and setting stringent upper limits on unobserved decay branches. The uncertainties on many of the lifetimes from the (n, n ′ γ) reaction are significantly reduced, and limits are established for the lifetimes of levels too long for a direct measurement. The absence of enhanced transitions between the previously assigned phonon states and the deformed intruder states strongly suggests that mixing between the configurations is generally weak, refuting the strong-mixing scenario as an explanation of the decay pattern of the excited 0 + states in 110 Cd. The decay pattern of the non-intruder states is suggestive of a γ-soft rotor, or O(6) nucleus, rather than a vibrational, or U (5) pattern. The existence of a 4p − 6h proton excitation in 110 Cd is also suggested.

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