The excited levels of ${}^{122}\mathrm{Te}$ to $3.3-\text{MeV}$ excitation have been studied using $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy following inelastic neutron scattering. The decay characteristics of these levels have been determined from $\gamma$-ray excitation functions, angular distributions at $E_n-1.72,2.80$, and $3.35\text{MeV}$, Doppler shifts, and $\gamma \gamma$ coincidences. Electromagnetic transition rates were deduced for many levels, as were multipole-mixing and branching ratios. Level energies and electromagnetic transition rates were compared to interacting boson model (IBM) calculations, both with and without intruder-state mixing, and to particle-core coupling model calculations. The energies of low-lying levels of ${}^{122}\mathrm{Te}$ are well described by the IBM with intruder-state mixing calculations, and observed transition rates support emerging intruder bands built on $0^{+}$ levels. The other models considered do not produce enough low-lying positive parity states; however, U(5) energies to the four quadrupole-phonon level agree very well with observations when states with large intruder configurations are ignored. Mixed-symmetry and quadrupole-octupole excitations have been investigated, but mixing with other configurations and fragmentation of strength prohibit a clear identification of these states.

• Received 12 November 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.71.034307