Nuclear structure of $^{106}$Pd and $^{106}$Cd from the (n,n$^{\prime}\gamma$) reaction*

Quadrupole shape vibrations are considered to be fundamental degrees of freedom of nuclei. Several candidates in the $_{48}$Cd and $_{46}$Pd region have been proposed as examples of good quadrupole shape vibrators; however, in recent studies of the heavy stable Cd nuclei, serious discrepancies from the vibrational decay pattern were found, suggesting a breakdown of the quadrupole vibrational picture. New studies of the $_{48}$Cd and $_{46}$Pd isotopes promise to bring new insights into the role of vibrations in nuclei. The low-lying states of $^{106}$Pd and $^{106}$Cd have been studied with the (n,n$^{\prime}\gamma$) reaction at the University of Kentucky 7-MV Van de Graaff accelerator facility. Gamma-ray excitation functions, angular distributions, and coincidence data ($^{106}$Pd) were used to characterize the excited states up to $\sim$4.0 MeV in each nucleus.