High-spin states inTe124

Abstract

In even-mass Te isotopes with $114\ensuremath{\le}A\ensuremath{\le}122$ the experimentally observed yrast ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={16}^{+}$ states have been interpreted as favored noncollective oblate states based on the fully aligned $\ensuremath{\pi}{[{({g}_{7/2})}^{2}]}_{{6}^{+}}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\nu}{[{({h}_{11/2})}^{2}]}_{{10}^{+}}$ configuration. For $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ the highest-spin positive-parity state known has ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={10}^{+}$. An extension of the yrast cascade of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ is needed to spin at least 16${}^{+}$ in order to answer the question of whether this noncollective oblate state lies along the yrast line in this isotope. The level structure of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ has been studied via prompt $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy. $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ was produced in the fission of the compound systems formed in two heavy-ion-induced reactions, $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ (134.5 MeV) + $^{173}\mathrm{Yb}$ and $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ (129 MeV) + $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}$. $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy was accomplished with the Gammasphere array. The yrast cascade of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ was extended up to 5481-keV excitation energy with a tentative 16${}^{+}$ assignment for the highest observed state. This state does not exhibit the characteristics of the favored noncollective oblate states with ${I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={16}^{+}$ observed in the lighter doubly even Te isotopes, indicating that such a state is probably no longer yrast in $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$.