Identification of yrast states in 187Pb

gamma-ray spectroscopy of the high-spin states of the neutron-deficient nucleus Pb-187 has been conducted with the Gd-155(Ar-36,4n) reaction. A cascade of three transitions was deduced from gamma-gamma coincidence data gated by detection of recoiling evaporation residues in a gas-filled recoil separator. In an earlier, separate experiment, two of these gamma rays were positively identified with Pb-187 by recoil-gamma coincidence measurements with a high-resolution, recoil mass spectrometer. From comparison with similar sequences in heavier odd-A lead isotopes, the cascade in Pb-187 is associated with the sequence of three E2 transitions from the yrast 25/2(+) level to a low-lying 13/2(+) isomer. The variation of excitation energy with mass number of the levels concerned suggests that their structure can be associated with weak coupling of an odd i(13/2) neutron to states in the spherical well. However, the possibility that they are influenced by mixing with states in the prolate-deformed well cannot be discounted. [S0556-2813(98)00411-7].