The low-lying electric dipole ($E1$) strength in the semimagic nucleus ${}^{136}$Xe has been measured, which finalizes the systematic survey to investigate the so-called pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) in all stable even $N=82$ isotones with the method of nuclear resonance fluorescence using real photons in the entrance channel. In all cases, a fragmented resonance-like structure of $E1$ strength is observed in the energy region 5–8 MeV. An analysis of the fragmentation of the strength reveals that the degree of fragmentation decreases toward the proton-deficient isotones, while the total integrated strength increases, indicating a dependence of the total strength on the neutron-to-proton ratio. The experimental results are compared to microscopic calculations within the quasiparticle phonon model. The calculation includes complex configurations of up to three phonons and is able to reproduce also the fragmentation of the $E1$ strength, which allows us to draw conclusions on the damping of the PDR. Calculations and experimental data are in good agreement on the degree of fragmentation and also on the integrated strength if the sensitivity limit of the experiments is taken into account.

• Received 27 June 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.84.024326