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Prompt and delayed γ-ray spectroscopy of the neutron-deficient, semi-magic isotope $^{187}$Pb has been performed using the recoil-decay and isomer-decay tagging techniques at the Argonne Gas-Filled Analyzer. A new 5.15(15)-μs isomeric state at only 308 keV above the spherical 3/2$^{−}$ ground state is identified and classified as a shape isomer. A strongly-coupled band is observed on top of the isomer, which is nearly identical to the one built on the prolate 7/2$^{−}$[514] Nilsson state in the isotone $^{185}$Hg. Based on this similarity and on the result of the potential-energy surface calculations, the new isomer in $^{187}$Pb is proposed to originate from the same configuration. The retarded character of the 308-keV (7/2$^{−}$)→3/2gs− transition with a deduced B(E2)=5.6(2)×10−4 W.u. can be well explained by the significant difference between the prolate parent and spherical daughter configurations, leading to the shape isomerism. The excitation energy of the isomer is surprisingly low, being roughly half of the excitation energies of the known 0$^{+}$ intruder bandheads in the neighboring $^{186,188}$Pb isotopes. The combined results of the present work and the previous α-decay and laser spectroscopy studies present evidence for triple shape coexistence at low energy in the negative-parity configurations of $^{187}$Pb, which is well reproduced by the potential-energy surface calculations.

A new proton-unbound isotope $^{204}$Ac was produced in the fusion-evaporation reaction Tm(40169Ca,5n)204Ac and identified via the recoil-α correlation at the gas-filled recoiled separators SHANS2 and SHANS. The excitation function for producing $^{204}$Ac was measured and the optimal beam energy was evaluated to be 212 MeV. Nineteen ER - α1 - α2 - α3 decay chains were observed for this isotope. Based on these chains, the α-particle energy and half-life of $^{204}$Ac were determined to be 7948(15) keV and 7.4−1.4+2.2 ms, respectively. Both are consistent with the theoretical prediction. The reduced α-decay width was deduced to be 49−15+10 keV, which indicates a favored α decay for $^{204}$Ac. In addition, more precise decay properties of Eα = 7883(15) keV and T1/2 = 7.7−1.6+2.7 ms were obtained for $^{205}$Ac.

The decay of the 13/2$^{+}$ isomeric state in $^{183}$Hg was observed for the first time following the α decay of the 13/2$^{+}$ isomer in $^{187}$Pb produced in the $^{142}$Nd($^{50}$Cr, 2p3n) reaction. Using α−γ delayed coincidence measurements, the half-life of this isomer was measured to be 290(30) μs. This isomer is proposed to deexcite by an unobserved low-energy M2 transition to the known 9/2$^{−}$ member of a strongly prolate-deformed 7/2$^{−}$[514] band, followed by a 105-keV M1 transition to the bandhead. A lower limit of B(M2) ≥ 0.018 W.u. was deduced for the unobserved transition. The presumed retardation is proposed to be due to the notable shape change between the initial, nearly spherical, and the final, strongly deformed, states. A similar scenario is also considered for the 13/2$^{+}$ isomer in $^{181}$Hg, suggesting both are cases of shape isomers. The B(M2) systematics of neutron transitions across the nuclear chart is discussed.