Evidence for a two-phonon octupole vibrational state in $^{208}$Pb

Collective properties of206,208Pb have been investigated with gamma-ray spectroscopy using nuclear and electromagnetic excitation by208Pb projectiles. From the measurement of particle-particle-γ and particle-particle-γ γ coincidences a new energy level in208Pb at 5.683 MeV was observed and the data suggest an interpretation as a 2-phonon octupole vibrational state with spin 4+ or 6+. For this state one finds the same dynamical deformation parameterβ3 as for the first-excited collective 3− state. The results are compared to predictions of models which consider, in particular, the aspects of the quadrupole interaction and the interaction of the 2-particle pairing vibration with the 2-phonon octupole vibration. For the206Pb+208Pb system at 6.2 MeV/u the nuclear potential could be determined from the measured inelastic cross sections.