Two-neutron separation energies, binding energies and phase transitions in the interacting boson model

In the framework of the interacting boson model the three transitional regions (rotational-vibrational, rotational-gamma -unstable and, vibrational-gamma -unstable transitions) are reanalyzed. A new kind of plot is presented fur studying phase transitions in finite systems such as atomic nuclei. The importance of analyzing binding energies and not only energy spectra and electromagnetic transitions, describing transitional regions is emphasized. We finally discuss a number of realistic examples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.