Lifetime measurements in Pd-102: Searching for empirical proof of the E(5) critical-point symmetry in nuclear structure

Lifetimes of yrast and nonyrast states of Pd-102 populated via the Zr-92(C-13, 3n) reaction are measured by means of the recoil distance Doppler-shift technique with a Cologne plunger coupled to a GASP spectrometer. The event-by-event data accumulated at 24 plunger distances in the range of 0.1 mu m to 9 mm are analyzed using the differential decay curve method. The resulting B(E2) values of the gamma transitions depopulating yrast-band members up to the I-pi = 8(+) state are found to deviate significantly from the corresponding predictions of the E(5) critical-point symmetry.