β decay spectroscopy of light Nd isotopes

Abstract

Excited states in 132,134Nd were populated in the β+/ε decay of 132,134Pm and studied through off-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. Level spins and multipole mixing ratios of transitions were determined through an angular correlation analysis. In 132Nd, a new excited 0+ state is identified and in 134Nd the level scheme is significantly extended. Differences in the location of the 02+ state and the γ bandhead above and below N=82 suggest that the lighter isotopes are much more γ-soft than the heavier Nd and that a first-order phase transitional description is not applicable in the N<82 region. Show more