Excited states in the extremely neutron-deficient nucleus ${}^{180}\mathrm{Pb}$ have been identified for the first time using the JUROGAM II array in conjunction with the RITU recoil separator at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä. This study lies at the limit of what is presently achievable with in-beam spectroscopy, with an estimated cross section of only 10 nb for the ${}^{92}\mathrm{Mo}$(${}^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$,$2n$)${}^{180}\mathrm{Pb}$ reaction. A continuation of the trend observed in ${}^{182}\mathrm{Pb}$ and ${}^{184}\mathrm{Pb}$ is seen, where the prolate minimum continues to rise beyond the $N=104$ midshell with respect to the spherical ground state. Beyond-mean-field calculations are in reasonable correspondence with the trends deduced from experiment.

• Received 1 March 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.82.011303