Quadrupole collectivity in neutron-rich Cd isotopes

Abstract

The proximity to the closed shells at Z 50 and N 82 makes the neutron-rich Cd isotopes a perfect test case for nuclear theories. The energy of the first excited 2+-state in the even 122-128 shows an irregular behaviour as the Cd isotopes exhibit only a slight increase for 122Cd to 126Cd and even a decrease from 126Cd to 128Cd. This anomaly can so far not be reproduced by shell model calculations. Only beyond mean field calculations with a resultant prolate deformation are capable to describe this anomalous behaviour. In order to gain more information about the neutron-rich Cd isotopes a Coulomb excitation experiment was performed with MINIBALL at REX-ISOLDE, CERN. The extracted transition strengths B (E2,0+gs 2+1) for 122,124,126,128Cd agree with beyond mean field calculations. The spectroscopic quadrupole moments Qs (2+1) are compared with measurements on odd neutron-rich Cd isotopes.