B(E2) values in 150Nd and the critical point symmetry X(5) -: art. no. 232501

Lifetimes of states in Nd-150 were measured using the recoil distance method following Coulomb excitation of Nd-150 by a 132 MeV S-32 beam. The experiment was performed at the Yale Tandem accelerator, employing the SPEEDY gamma-ray detector array and the New Yale Plunger Device. Reduced transition probabilities in Nd-150 are compared to the predictions of the critical point symmetry X(5) of the phase/shape transition that occurs for the N=90 rare earth isotones. Very good agreement was observed between the parameter-free (apart from scale) X(5) predictions and the low-spin level scheme of Nd-150 , revealing this as the best case thus far for the realization of the X(5) symmetry.