The lowest six excited $2^{+}$ levels of the even-even ${}^{122-130}\mathrm{Te}$ nuclei have been investigated using γ-ray spectroscopy following inelastic neutron scattering. These levels have been identified and their decay properties have been characterized from γ-ray excitation functions and γ-ray angular distributions; additionally, lifetimes of these levels have been deduced using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. Electromagnetic transition rates and $E2/M1$ multipole mixing ratios from the $2_x^{+}[x=2\text{−}6]\to 2_1^{+}$ transitions have been examined to identify the lowest mixed-symmetry states in these nuclei. In each nucleus, the mixed-symmetry strength appears to be fragmented between more than one level. The summed $M1$ strength from the $2_x^{+}$ [$x=2\text{−}6$] states to the $2_1^{+}$ level agrees rather well with neutron-proton interacting boson model predictions in the U(5) or O(6) limits for these Te nuclei.

• Received 28 August 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.78.054320