Probing the structure of the stable Xe isotopes with inelastic neutron scattering

The stable isotopes of xenon, which have attracted interest for a number of reasons, span a transitional region that evolves from γ-soft structures for the lighter mass isotopes to nearly spherical ¹³⁶Xe with a closed neutron shell. The nature of this transition, which is gradual, is not well understood. To provide detailed spectroscopic information on the Xe isotopes, we have studied ^{130,132,134,136}Xe at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory using inelastic neutron scattering and γ-ray detection. These measurements yielded γ-ray angular distributions, branching ratios, multipole mixing ratios, and level lifetimes (from the Doppler-shift attenuation method), which allowed the determination of reduced transition probabilities and provided insight into the structure of these nuclei.