Deformation of highly deformed bands in Nd nuclei

Summary The quadrupole moments of highly deformed bands in 134,135 Nd and 131 Ce have been determined using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. The obtained Q 0 values show no clear dependence on the number of occupied vi 13/2 intruder orbitals. Cranked shell model calculations indicate that the charge-quadrupole moments of the highly deformed bands decrease with increasing spin. The expected increase in deformation induced by the vi 13/2 orbital in the two bands of 134 Nd is attenuated by a rotation-induced shrinking effect driving the nucleus towards smaller deformation.