  In this work the experimental study of the 144Sm(alpha, 2n)
fusion-evaporation reaction is presented. The experiment was carried out at the
IKP of the University of Cologne in order to identify double octupole states
and two-particle configurations in the 146Gd nucleus. The target was surrounded
by a compact array of nine individual Ge detectors and one EUROBALL CLUSTER
detector. A total of 44 new states have been identified, as well as new gamma
rays corresponding to 26 previously known levels. Among these levels, new
candidates for the two-particle configuration states have been found as well as
for the (3- x 2+) and (3- x 3-) two phonon multiplets. A very important results
of this work is the unequivocal assignment of the 6- member of the two phonon
octupole state in 146Gd by identifying the E3 branching to the one phonon 3-
state. This result presents the first conclusive observation of a 6+ to 3- to
0+ double E3 cascade in the decay of a two-phonon octupole state.
