The onset of deformation in the neutron-rich Ba isotopes

The isotopes 142,144Ba, produced by the fission-product mass separator OSTIS at the Institut Laue-Langevin, has been investigated via on-line gamma - gamma angular correlation measurements. The spin assignments deduced allow the effects of increasing neutron number in the neutron-rich Ba isotopes to be studied, and clearly identify the onset of deformation in this region.