5/2(+)[402] 10.8 ns isomeric level at 482 keV in Ta-181 was Coulomb-excited
by 225 MeV Ni-58, Starting from 7/2(+)[404] ground state. Particle-gamma a
nd particle-gamma-gamma events were collected. Excitation through newly obs
erved gamma-vibrational K-pi = 3/2(+) band turned out to be 50 times more e
fficient than direct excitation.