New insights into the nuclear structure in neutron-rich 112,114,115,116,117,118Pd

New level schemes of Pd-112,Pd-114,Pd-115,Pd-116,Pd-117,Pd-118 are established by means of gamma-gamma-gamma, gamma-gamma-gamma-gamma and gamma-gamma(theta) measurements of prompt fission gamma rays from Cf-252 using the Gammasphere multi-detector array. Spins/parities were assigned to levels based on gamma-gamma angular correlation measurements, level systematics and decay patterns. In the even-N isotopes Pd-112,Pd-114,Pd-116, two sets of odd-parity bands were identified and extended with spins measured in each band. The odd-parity bands with large level staggerings were interpreted as disturbed chirality with less pronounced triaxial deformations in the Pd isotopes than observed in the chiral symmetry breaking Ru-110,Ru-112 with maximum triaxiality. Onset of wobbling motion was identified from the sign of the signature splitting in the gamma band of even-even Pd-114, and probably also in Pd-116, as first seen in the N = 68 isotone Ru-112. Maximal triaxiality in Ru and Pd isotopes is found to be reached for N = 68, Ru-112 and Pd-114, 4 neutrons more than predicted in the theoretical calculations. The new data and TRS calculations allowed a systematic study of the band crossings in the even-N Pd-112,Pd-114,Pd-116 and odd-N Pd-115,Pd-117 isotopes. Now we find a new overall, more complex shape evolution than previously proposed from triaxial prolate in Pd-110 via triaxial oblate in Pd-112 to nearly oblate in Pd-114,Pd-116 with a large change of the triaxial deformation parameter gamma toward nearly oblate in the (pi g(9/2))(2) alignment in Pd-114,Pd-115,Pd-116,Pd-117,Pd-118, and triaxial-prolate-triaxial-oblate shape coexisting bands in Pd-115. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.