Spectroscopy of neutron-rich Pd and Cd isotopes near A=120

New high-spin levels have been identified in the nucleus 120Pd from analysis of the coincidence gamma rays observed in the 238U(α, fγγγ) reaction. Recoiling fragments were detected with the Rochester heavy-ion detector array, CHICO, in coincidence with gamma-rays using Gammasphere. An A=110-130 mass-gated γ−γ−γ cube from this experiment was constructed and analyzed for coincident gamma-rays in several nuclei near A=120. New results for neutron-rich 118Pd and 120Pd have been obtained. The 120Pd level scheme was extended to spin of 10+ by building on the new low-energy gamma rays identified in decay studies of 120Rh. The details of the 118Pd level scheme derived from this work are compared to previous work. The systematics of the yrast levels in even-even Pd and Cd isotopes are presented and the symmetry of energy levels around N = 68 is discussed. A new 10+ level in 124Cd has been observed. The population intensity of even-even neutron-rich Cd isotopes is deduced, indicating that nuclides near 120Cd are preferentially populated following alpha-induced fission of 238U.