vh(1/2) bands in Pd-113 and Pd-115 - art. no. 031302

Two cascades of gamma rays were discovered in Pd-113 and Pd-115 in prompt g amma-ray spectroscopy with Gamma-sphere following heavy-ion induced fission in the reaction O-18+Pb-208 at 91 MeV. Comparison with recently observed b and structures in Pd-109 and Pd-111 as well as blacking arguments lead to a n interpretation of these bands as nu h(11/2) bands. This discovery, togeth er with cranked Woods-Saxon and total Routhian surface calculations, indica tes that increased rotational frequency stabilizes a prolate but still gamm a-soft shape in the neutron-rich, even-even Pd isotopes up to Pd-116, which exhibit very gamma-soft nuclear potentials in their respective ground stat es. [S0556-2813(99)50209-4].