Quadrupole moments of high-spin isomers: test of the tilted-axis cranking model

We report the results of recent measurements of the spectroscopic quadrupole moments of high-spin isomers. For the K=35/2- five-quasiparticle isomer in 179W we measured Q_s=4.00(+0.83)(-1.06)eb. It corresponds to a smaller deformation compared to the ground states of the W isotopes and is in disagreement with the current theoretical predictions. We also measured the quadrupole moment of the I=11- isomer in 196Pb, Q_s=(-)3.41(66)eb. It has the same proton s(-2)1/2 h9/2 i13/2 configuration as the one suggested for the I=16- magnetic bandhead which allows to deduce the quadrupole moment of the 16- state as Q_s=-0.316(97)eb. This small value proves the near sphericity of the bandhead.