The characteristics of the halo neutron preemission in the fusion of <Superscript>11</Superscript>Li with light targets

The main characteristics of the halo neutron preemission in the fusion of ¹¹Li nuclei with light targets are reviewed. The recent experiment with a new array detector aimed at investigating neutron pair preemission is described. The position distribution measurement confirms the preemission of the halo neutrons in a very narrow forward cone of ～9 msrad. A novel approach for cross-talk rejection is described. By means of this approach, the true n-n coincidence sample was obtained. In view of obtaining the n-n correlation function, the crucial problem of the denominator construction is thoroughly analyzed. It was found that the single-product denominator built by a random coupling of single detected neutrons followed by cross-talk rejection, exceeds by up to 70% the denominator constructed by the event-mixing technique. We consider this behavior of the single-product denominator together with the large fluctuations seen when represented in small steps of relative momentum q as experimental evidence for residual correlation of single detected halo neutrons.     

Possibility of Studying Neutron–Neutron Correlations in Halo Nuclei

An experimental investigation of the reaction of core pickup from ⁶He and ¹¹Li two-neutronhalo nuclei is proposed. In such experiments, neutron–neutron correlations in a halo nucleus will be assessed on the basis of the energy of a neutron–neutron quasibound state. A detailed kinematical simulation of the reaction ⁶He + ²H → ⁶Li + (nn) →⁶ Li + n + n is performed. It is shown that the energy of the quasibound state in question can determined from the shape of the energy spectrum of neutrons originating from the breakup of this state. In the proposed exclusive experiment, a beam of ⁶He (¹¹Li) nuclei with an energy of about 5 to 10 MeV per nucleon interacts with a deuterated-polyethylene target. This will permit detecting charged particles (⁶Li and ¹¹Be) and a neutron. On the basis of determining the energy of the neutron–neutron quasibound state, it will become possible to estimate the effective attraction between the valence neutrons in the field of the third particle (core).     

Spatial periphery of lithium isotopes

The spatial structure of lithium isotopes is studied with the aid of the charge-exchange and (t, p) reactions on lithium nuclei. It is shown that an excited isobaric-analog state of ⁶Li (0⁺, 3.56MeV) has a halo structure formed by a proton and a neutron, that, in the ⁹Li nucleus, there is virtually no neutron halo, and that ¹¹Li is a Borromean nucleus formed by a ⁹Li core and a two-neutron halo manifesting itself in cigar-like and dineutron configurations.     

Nuclear field theory predictions for 11Li and 12Be: Shedding light on the origin of pairing in nuclei

Recent data resulting from studies of two-nucleon transfer reaction on ¹¹Li, analyzed through a unified nuclear-structure-direct-reaction theory have provided strong direct as well as indirect confirmation, through the population of the first excited state of ⁹Li and of the observation of a strongly quenched ground state transition, of the prediction that phonon-mediated pairing interaction is the main mechanism binding the neutron halo of the 8.5-ms-lived ¹¹Li nucleus. In other words, the ground state of ¹¹Li can be viewed as a neutron Cooper pair bound to the ⁹Li core, mainly through the exchange of collective vibration of the core and of the pigmy resonance arizing from the sloshing back and forth of the neutron halo against the protons of the core, the mean field leading to unbound two-particle states, a situation essentially not altered by the bare nucleon-nucleon interaction acting between the halo neutrons. Two-neutron pick-up data, together with (t, p) data on ⁷Li, suggest the existence of a pairing vibrational band based on ⁹Li, whose members can be excited with the help of inverse kinematic experiments as was done in the case of ¹¹Li(p, t)⁹Li reaction. The deviation from harmonicity can provide insight into the workings of medium polarization effects on Cooper-pair nuclear pairing, let alone specific information concering the “rigidity” of the N = 6 shell closure. Further information concerning these questions is provided by the predicted absolute differential cross sections σ _abs associated with the reactions ¹²Be(p, t)¹⁰Be(g.s.) and ¹²Be(p, t)¹⁰Be(pv) (≈¹⁰Be(p, t)⁸Be(g.s.)). In particular, concerning this last reaction, predictions of σ _abs can change by an order of magnitude depending on whether the halo properties associated with the d _5/2 orbital are treated selfconsistently in calculating the ground state correlations of the (pair removal) mode, or not.     

Structure of the neutron periphery of isotopes 9,11Li

The spatial periphery structure of lithium isotopes with A = 9 and 11 is investigated using the (t, p) reaction for ^7,9Li nuclei. It is shown that the neutron halo is almost absent in the ⁹Li nucleus, while the ¹¹Li nucleus has the Borromean halo structure formed by two neutrons relative to the ⁹Li core, which manifests itself in both the cigar and the dineutron configurations.     

The role of configurations of neutron halo in the formation of the model vertex function for description of the two-neutron transfer reaction

The nuclear vertex functions for virtual decay of halo nuclei ⁶He → α + n + n (¹¹Li-⁹Li + n + n) for dineutron and cigarlike configurations of the neutron halo have been analytically investigated using the diagram method of direct nuclear reactions. These vertex functions describe the one-step process of two-neutron transfer. It is shown that the angular and energy distributions of the reaction products (α particles, ⁹Li, etc.) in different ranges of variables correspond to different structural elements of the halo. The vertex function describing the two-step process of halo neutron transfer has also been analyzed.     

Spatial periphery of lithium and beryllium isotopes

The spatial structure of the periphery of lithium and beryllium isotopes is studied by means of charge-exchange reactions and the (t, p) and (d, p) reactions on their nuclei. It is shown that the 0⁺ isobaric-analog state of ⁶Li at 3.56 MeV has a halo structure formed by a proton and a neutron, that there is virtually no manifestation of a neutron halo in the ground state of the ⁹Li nucleus, and that the ¹¹Li nucleus has a Borromean halo structure that two neutrons form with respect to the ⁹Li core and which manifests itself in cigar and dineutron configurations. The ¹⁰Be nucleus has a substantial two-neutron periphery in either configuration both in the ground and in the 2⁺ excited state at 3.37MeV.     

Few-body cluster models for Borromean halo nuclei

Modern few-body methods for investigating Borromean two-neutron halo nuclei are discussed together with recent experiments. Advances in the studies of ⁶He and ¹¹Li are analyzed. Some new problems created by a large neutron excess and a halo phenomenon are considered.     

Structure of nuclei far from stability

The structure of neutron-rich unstable nuclei is discussed by focusing on three different subjects; (i) a superdeformed halo nucleus ¹¹Be studied by a deformed Woods-Saxon potential, (ii) retarded β decay due to neutron halo in ¹¹Li, and (iii) giant neutron excitations in nuclei with neutron skin.     

Multi-nucleon transfer reactions and fusion with unstable nuclei

We show that a large number of neutrons are expected to be transferred from the projectile to the target if a neutron rich unstable nucleus with a neutron skin is used as the projectile in heavy-ion collisions at energies about twice the Coulomb barrier. We then show that though the neutron halo enhances the fusion cross section through the size effect, the additional effect due to the molecular bond formation is not significant in the fusion between ¹¹Li and ⁹Li at energies near and below the Coulomb barrier.     

Investigation of neutron and proton distributions of He,Li, and Be isotopes using the new Skyrme-Force parameters

The proton and neutron densities, root-mean-square (rms) radii of proton density and neutron density, and neutron skin thickness of ^4–10He, ^6–11Li, and ^7–12Be isotopes are calculated using Skyrme-Hartree-Fock method with SLy4, SLy5, SLy6, and SLy7 force parameters. The evaluated results are compared with experimental data. Also, the results of halo nuclei (^6,8He, ¹¹Li, and ¹¹Be) are compared with the results of other isotopes for selected nuclei having the same neutron configuration.     

Structure of β-decay Strength Function <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis><Subscript>β</Subscript>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>) in Halo Nuclei

It is shown that when the parent nucleus has nn Borromean halo structure, then after Gamow–Teller (GT) β^–-decay of parent state or after M1 γ-decay of Isobar Analogue Resonance (IAR) the states with np tango halo structure or mixed np tango + nn Borromean halo structure can be populated. Resonances in the GT β-decay strength function S_β(E) of halo nuclei, may have np tango halo structure or mixed np tango + nn Borromean halo structure. Correct interpretation of halo structure is important in experiments on β-decay study, interpretation of M1 γ-decay of IAR, and charge-exchange nuclear reactions analysis.     

Very neutron-rich exotic nuclei

A brief summary is done of the various types of experiment used in studies of the very neutron rich nuclei. Some highlights are given for the two-neutron halo and¹¹Li nucleus and for the one-neutron halo and¹¹Be nucleus.     

Core-breakup reactions of the halo nuclei 11Be and 11Li: momentum distributions and shadow effects

The halo nuclei ¹¹Be and ¹¹Li have been studied in core-breakup reactions where the halo neutrons are expected to be released without a major distortion due to the reaction. The widths of the halo-neutron momentum distributions have been extracted in coincidence with He fragments, Γ = 32 ± 4 MeV/c, and Li fragments, Γ = 42 ± 4 MeV/c for ¹¹Be and with He fragments, Γ = 42 ± 6 MeV/c for ¹¹Li. The ¹¹Be breakup gives a very low neutron multiplicity of 0.38±0.09 which is a manifestation of the shadowing of the neutron in the core-breakup reaction. This value can be understood from a simple theoretical calculation, which also accounts for the observed transverse momentum widths at small angles.     

Nuclear structure near the drip line studied by RNB

The use of radioactive nuclear beams (RNB) has provided an opportunity to study nuclei far from the stability line. Reaction studies using intermediate and high-energy (30–1000 AMeV) radioactive beams have revealed new structures of nuclei that are not seen in nuclei near to the stability line [1]. One such new structure is the neutron halo, a long low-density tail of the neutron distribution [2]. It has been observed in neutron drip-line nuclei, such as⁶He,¹¹Li and¹¹Be. The neutron halo has put light on many new structure problems. Among those, recent studies of a softE1 mode, a low-frequency oscillation of halo neutrons against the core, are discussed in the following section in connection with a recent (p, p′) reaction measurement [3]. Also, the effect of changes in single-particle orbitals on halo formation is discussed [4]. Another new finding is the formation of neutron skins in neutron-rich unstable nuclei [5]. The relation between the equation-of-state (EOS) of asymmetric nuclear matter and the neutron-skin thickness as well as the density distribution of nuclei far from the stability line is discussed in the last section.     

Reaction cross section measurements of the neutron-rich isotopes8,9,11Li at 80 MeV/nucleon

Total interaction cross sections have been measured for⁸Li on C and Pb targets, for⁹Li on C, Al, Cu, Sn and Pb targets as well as for¹¹Li on C, Sn and Pb targets. For each beam, we also used a plastic scintillator as target. The measurements with the scintillator targets are used to extract reduced nuclear radii of the lithium isotopes. These radii are then used for the calculation of the nuclear part of the total cross section for the other targets. The total electromagnetic-dissociation (EMD) cross sections have been deduced and are compared to different models. A strong target-charge-dependent EMD cross section is measured for¹¹Li reaching 2.96 _–0.82 ^+0.84 b for the Pb target. In the⁹Li case, a large EMD cross section for high-Z targets has been observed which amounts to 0.75 ± 0.45 b for the Pb target. The EMD cross sections of both,⁹Li and¹¹Li, may be understood by the giantdipole-resonance model.This work forms part of the PhD Thesis of B. Blank     

Clustering aspects of light exotic nuclei

The discovery of light nuclei with neutron halos has opened new perspectives for nuclear structure and a possibility to study genuine few-body aspects of matter. A number of borromean systems where the system is bound but where no binary subsystems are bound, are realized by nature in the context of nuclei,¹¹Li being the nucleus which has had most recent attention. Although a large number of calculations have addressed the detailed structure of the¹¹Li neutron halo, no single model has yet explained all the data presently available. This is in part due to uncertainties in then+⁹Li interaction. For⁶He, also a borromean system, where then+core interaction is known, the best three-body and reaction models succeed in reproducing the data. In the¹¹Li case, a major uncertainty concerns the effect of possible 1s intruder states.     

Cluster models of light nuclei and the method of hyperspherical harmonics: Successes and challenges

Hyperspherical-harmonics method to investigate the lightest nuclei having three-cluster structure is discussed together with recent experiments. Properties of bound states and methods to explore three-body continuum are presented. The challenges created by large neutron excess and halo phenomena are highlighted. Astrophysical aspects of the ⁷Li + n → ⁸Li + γ reaction and the solar-boron-neutrinos problem are analyzed. Three-cluster structure of highly excited states in ⁸Be is shown to be responsible for extreme isospin mixing. Progress in studies of ⁶He- and ¹¹Li-induced inclusive and exclusive nuclear reactions is demonstrated, providing information on the nature of continuum structures of Borromean nuclei. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Nuclear-matter distributions of halo nuclei from elastic proton scattering in inverse kinematics

Proton-nucleus elastic scattering at intermediate energies, a well-established method for probing nuclear-matter density distributions of stable nuclei, was applied for the first time to exotic nuclei. This method is demonstrated to be an effective means for obtaining accurate and detailed information on the size and radial shape of halo nuclei. Absolute differential cross-sections for small-angle scattering were measured at energies near 700 MeV/u for the neutron-rich helium isotopes ⁶He and ⁸He, and more recently for the lithium isotopes ⁶Li, ⁸Li, ⁹Li and ¹¹Li, using He and Li beams provided by the fragment separator FRS at GSI Darmstadt. Experiments were performed in inverse kinematics using the hydrogen-filled ionization chamber IKAR which served simultaneously as target and recoil-proton detector. For deducing nuclear-matter distributions, differential cross-sections calculated with the aid of the Glauber multiple-scattering theory, using various parametrizations for the nucleon density distributions as input, were fitted to the experimental cross-sections. The results on nuclear-matter radii and matter distributions are presented, and the significance of the data for a halo structure is discussed. Nuclear-matter distributions obtained for ⁶He and ⁸He conform with the concept that both nuclei compose of α-particle like cores and significant neutron halos. The matter distribution in ¹¹Li exhibits, as expected from previous reaction cross-section studies with nuclear targets, the by far most extended halo component of all nuclei being investigated. In addition the present data allow a quantitative comparison of the structure of the He and Li isobares of either the mass number A = 6 or A = 8. The measured differential cross-sections have also been used for probing density distributions as predicted from various microscopic calculations. A few examples are presented. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: p.egelhof@gsi.de     

Sensitivity of reaction cross sections to halo nucleus density distributions

In order to clear up the sensitivity of the nucleus-nucleus reaction cross sections σ _R to the nuclear matter distributions in exotic halo nuclei, we have calculated the values of σ _R for scattering of ⁶He, ¹¹Li, and ¹⁹C nuclei on several nuclear targets at the energy of 0.8 GeV/nucleon. The calculations were performed in the “rigid target” approximation to the Glauber theory, different shapes of the nuclear density distributions in ⁶He, ¹¹Li, and ¹⁹C being assumed.