Search for collective and non-collective band structures in $^{123}$Xe

The nuclei in the mass region A ≃125 lie between the spherical Sn nuclei(Z=50) and strongly deformed Ce nuclei(Z=58) and are therefore, transitional with respect to their shapes at low and high angular momenta. In this mass region, there exists a unique parity intruder orbital h11/2 which is accessible to both the protons and neutrons. These h11/2 nucleons have opposite deformation driving effects; neutrons drive the nucleus towards the oblate shape whereas the protons favour the prolate shape. Thus, the outcome of this interplay makes this region very interesting to study shape evolutions from lower to higher spins as the nucleus can have a prolate, an oblate or a triaxial shape depending on the alignment of the h11/2 nucleons[1].