Observation of a second π h 11 / 2 ⊗ ν h 11 / 2 band in 126 La

High-spin states of ${}^{126}$La have been populated using the ${}^{116}$Sn(${}^{14}$N, 4$n$)${}^{126}$La reaction at a beam energy of 77 MeV. A side band linking to the known yrast $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ band is observed. $B(M1)/B(E2)$ ratios and alignments of the side band and DCO ratios of linking transitions between the side band and the yrast band suggest that the side band has the same $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ configuration as that of the yrast band, and thus the side band is a second $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ band in ${}^{126}$La. The separation energy, $\\ensuremath{\\Delta}E(I)=E{(I)}_{\\mathrm{side}}\\ensuremath{-}E{(I)}_{\\mathrm{yrast}}$, between the side band and the yrast band at the same spin, and the energy staggering parameter $S(I)$ of the second $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ band in ${}^{126}$La are compared to those of other odd-odd La isotopes. The variation trends of $\\ensuremath{\\Delta}E(I)$ and $S(I)$ both suggest that it is reasonable to interpret the second $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ band in ${}^{126}$La as an excited $\\ensuremath{\\pi}{h}_{11/2}\\ensuremath{\\bigotimes}\\ensuremath{\\nu}{h}_{11/2}$ band as proposed for ${}^{124}$La rather than to interpret it as a partner band of a near degenerate chiral doublet band as done for ${}^{128\\ensuremath{-}134}$La.