%0 Journal Article %T Observation of mutually enhanced collectivity in self-conjugate $^{76}_{38}$Sr$_{38}$ %A A. Lemasson %A H. Iwasaki %A C. Morse %A D. Bazin %A T. Baugher %A J. S. Berryman %A A. Dewald %A C. Fransen %A A. Gade %A S. McDaniel %A A. Nichols %A A. Ratkiewicz %A S. Stroberg %A P. Voss %A R. Wadsworth %A D. Weisshaar %A K. Wimmer %A R. Winkler %J Physics %D 2012 %I arXiv %R 10.1103/PhysRevC.85.041303 %X The lifetimes of the first 2$^{+}$ states in the neutron-deficient $^{76,78}$Sr isotopes were measured using a unique combination of the $\gamma$-ray line-shape method and two-step nucleon exchange reactions at intermediate energies. The transition rates for the 2$^{+}$ states were determined to be $B$(E2;2$^{+}$$\to 0^{+}$) = 2220(270) e$^{2}$fm$^{4}$ for $^{76}$Sr and 1800(250) e$^{2}$fm$^{4}$ for $^{78}$Sr, corresponding to large deformation of $\beta_2$ = 0.45(3) for $^{76}$Sr and 0.40(3) for $^{78}$Sr. The present data provide experimental evidence for mutually enhanced collectivity that occurs at $N$ = $Z$ = 38. The systematic behavior of the excitation energies and $B$(E2) values indicates a signature of shape coexistence in $^{76}$Sr, characterizing $^{76}$Sr as one of most deformed nuclei with an unusually reduced $E$(4$^{+}$)/$E$(2$^{+}$) ratio. %U http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.2279v1