The reactions 160,158,156,154,152Gd(p, t) have been studied with 18 MeV protons. The angular distributions of the emergent tritons allow an unambiguous identification of l = 0 transitions and, in some cases, a classification of l = 2 transitions in terms of excitations of beta- or gamma-vibrations. Excited collective 0+ states are populated with approximately 15 % of the ground state strength. In
... [Show full abstract] the 154Gd(p, t)152Gd reaction which connects a deformed with a spherical nucleus, a third 0+ state is observed at 1053 keV. The present results and previous data from (p, t) and (t, p) reactions on Sm isotopes support the interpretation of the 1053 keV state being a deformed 0+ excited state in the spherical 152Gd nucleus.