LIFETIMES OF THE DECAY FROM SUPERDEFORMED TO NORMAL DEFORMED IN ND-135

Lifetimes of low-spin members of the superdeformed band in 135Nd have been determined by the Doppler-shift recoil-distance method. We find a quadrupole moment of 7.2(+1.2\-1.5) b for the 677 keV (37/2 - 33/2) t ransition in the band, confirming the large deformation previously mea sured by the Doppler-shift attenuation method. However, the quadrupole moment for the 620 keV transition deexciting the 3.324 MeV (25/2) sta te at the bottom of the band is much smaller. We conclude that the sup erdeformed potential-energy minimum disappears or the band drastically changes character at this point which causes the sudden depopulation.