Investigation of the disappearance of collective motion in nuclei of mass A ∼ 120-130

A study of hot Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) in nuclei of mass A=120 - 130 in an excitation energy range from 150 to 330 MeV, where the GDR quenching is expected to arise, has been undertaken using the MEDEA multi-detector system. Hot nuclei were populated using complete and incomplete fusion reactions. The characterization of hot system was performed through the study of residue time of flight combined with the analysis of light charged energy spectra detected in coincidence. Gamma-ray energy spectra show an evolution of the GDR main features both in terms of width and multiplicity. Evidences of a saturation of gamma multiplicity appear at high excitation energy at variance with predictions of statistical model calculations. Gamma-ray energy spectra can been reproduced in a phenomenological way introducing in the statistical model a sharp suppression of the gamma-ray emission above E* = 240 MeV. (authors)