POPULATION OF THE YRAST SUPERDEFORMED BAND IN PB-194

The yrast superdeformed (SD) band in Pb-194 has been populated by mean s of four fusion-evaporation reactions (W-184 + O-16, W-184 + O-17, Dy -164 + S-34, Dy-162 + S-36) leading to different angular momenta and e xcitation energies in the various compound nuclei. The yields measured for the so band relative to the total yield of the Pb-194 channel do not show any dependence on excitation energies and show only a very we ak increase with angular momentum. The feeding pattern of the so band in Pb-194 is compared to similar data for so bands in neighbouring nuc lei. All these results can be interpreted by the fission process (an i mportant exit channel for all fusion reactions leading to Pb isotopes) which imposes a very low limit in the angular momentum of the Pb resi dual nuclei.