Microsecond isomers in ¹⁸⁷TI and ¹⁸⁸Pb

Lifetime measurements of states in nuclei with A=187 and 188 have been performed, using reactions between ¹⁵⁵Gd and ³⁶Ar and following the transport of evaporation residues to the focal plane of a gas-filled recoil separator. In a separate experiment using the ¹⁵⁹Tb(³²S,4n) reaction the γ-decay of isomeric levels in ¹⁸⁷Tl has been studied using delayed γ-γ coincidence measurements. From observation of their subsequent γ decay, the mean lifetimes were measured to be 1000 ± 55 ns and 1600 ± 100 ns. Although it was not possible to characterize the isomers completely, they are proposed as candidates for one-proton, two-neutron excitations. In the course of this study, the decay of an isomer in ¹⁸⁸Pb was also observed and its lifetime was measured as 1150 ± 30 ns, and limits of 20-600 ns were placed on the meanlife of an isomer conjectured in ¹⁸⁷Pb.