Collective Kπ = 0+ vibrational excitations in 178Hf

Recent studies of vibrational excitations in deformed nuclei have led to a close re-investigation of low-lying Kπ = 0+ excitations in deformed nuclei. We have measured lifetimes of levels in three Kπ = 0+ bands at 1199, 1434 and 1772 keV. The results point to the observation of a collective Kπ = 0+ band at 1772 keV that decays to the band at 1199 keV with collective transitions of 5-10 W.u.