The fusion-evaporation reaction involving a 175 MeV ${}^{36}\mathrm{S}$ beam and a ${}^{124}\mathrm{Sn}$ target was performed, and the emitted γ rays were observed with the Gammasphere spectrometer. Significant additions to the level scheme of ${}^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ were made in spite of the relative weakness of the α4n exit channel, being only ∼2% of the total fusion cross-section. The high-spin behavior of ${}^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ was compared with that of other $N=88$ nuclei. A striking similarity was observed with ${}^{154}\mathrm{Dy}$ and it is therefore suggested that the angular-momentum-induced shape changes that take place in ${}^{154}\mathrm{Dy}$ also occur in ${}^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ in the 30–40ħ spin range. This is supported by Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations which were used to interpret the high-spin bands. It is found that a better agreement between calculation and experiment is obtained if the $Z=64$ shell gap increases with a decreasing number of valence particles outside the doubly-closed ${}_{64}^{146}{\mathrm{Gd}}_{82}$ nucleus.

• Received 8 February 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.75.064314