Lifetimes in Te 124: Examining critical-point symmetry in the Te nuclei

The Doppler-shift attenuation method following inelastic neutron scattering was used to determine the lifetimes of nuclear levels to 3.3-MeV excitation in Te124. Level energies and spins, γ-ray energies and branching ratios, and multipole-mixing ratios were deduced from measured γ-ray angular distributions at incident neutron energies of 2.40 and 3.30 MeV, γ-ray excitation functions, and γγ coincidence measurements. The newly obtained reduced transition probabilities and level energies for Te124 were compared to critical-point symmetry model predictions. The E(5) and β4 potential critical-point symmetries were also investigated in Te122 and Te126.