Non-Collective Properties of the Continuum Gamma Rays Feeding Two High-Spin Isomers in ¹⁵²Er

The decay and feeding of two yrast isomer (I ~ 26 and I ~ 36 respectively) in 152Er is measured. The isomeric delays are used to separate the spectrum of γ-rays from the highest angular momentum states from the spectrum due to the decay of low spin states. Strong dipole as well as quadrupole radiation dominates the yrast cascades which feed into the I ~ 36 isomer, and the correlation spectrum for the feeding transitions does not indicate any collective structure for spins below 50. It is tentatively concluded that the near magic nucleus 152Er remains spherical or oblate up to this high spin value.