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Measurements of the excitation energies of superdeformed states via the observation of single-step linking transitions have now been made in three even-A Pb nuclei, with a quasicontinuum analysis providing a limit in a fourth, odd-A case. These results allow us to take the first steps towards establishing systematic trends in excitation energies and binding energies in the second minimum in Pb isotopes. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New structures above and below the two-particle isomeric states in [sup 188]Pb have been identified. Their properties are consistent with the presence of three minima in the nuclear potential well, associated with spherical, weakly oblate and substantial prolate deformations. The fragmented decay of the weakly populated K[sup π] = 8[sup -], 1 µs prolate isomer also provides a means of identifying non-yrast low-spin structures which are otherwise inaccessible. Through this mechanism, collective bands which can be associated with the excited 0[sup +] states have been identified and E0 transitions between them inferred. Analysis of the excitation energies, branching ratios and E2/E0 decay-width ratios through a band-mixing model provides a test of shape differences and the separability of the wave functions at low spin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]