High-spin nuclear states and persistent currents in mesoscopic rings

An analogy is presented between periodic persistent currents in mesoscopic rings and staggerings of gamma energy transitions from some nuclear high-spin states. Various sources of damping of the expected periodic structures in both physical systems are compared. This discussion provides, in the nuclear case, a tentative explanation of the scarcity of such staggerings, their appearance near ¹⁵⁰Gd and the existence of a spin-window for their observation. Received: 21 July 1997 / Revised version: 13 October 1997     

Evolution of the N = 20 and N = 28 shell closures in neutron-rich nuclei

The isospin dependence of shell closure phenomena is studied for light neutron-rich nuclei within a microscopic self-consistent approach using the Gogny force. Introducing configuration mixing, ³²Mg is found to be dynamically deformed, although the N = 20 spherical shell closure persists at the mean-field level for all N = 20 isotones. In contrast, the N = 28 spherical shell closure is found to disappear for N - Z≥ 10 whereas deformed shell closures are preserved and lead to shape coexistence in ⁴⁴ S. Configuration mixing shows that the ground state of this nucleus is triaxially deformed. The first 2⁺ excitation energy E_x = 1.46 MeV and the reduced transition probability B(E2;0⁺ _gs→ 2⁺ ₁)= 420 e ² fm ⁴ obtained with our approach are in good agreement with experimental data. Received: 26 July 2000 / Accepted: 30 August 2000     

Unrestricted symmetry-projected Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations for SD-shell nuclei

Abstact: The solution of the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov problem with restoration of the broken symmetries before the variation has been generalized for the use of totally unrestricted quasi–particle determinants. With this method doubly–even, doubly–odd and odd nuclei can be treated on the same footing. Comparison with the results of complete shell–model diagonalizations shows that already one–determinant representations yield a very good approximation to the exact solutions even in the middle of the 1s0d shell. The problem is especially suited for numerical implementation on parallel computers. First tests show a linear dependence of the inverse CPU time with the number of processors used. Received: 26 February 1998 / Revised version: 8 May 1998     

Combinatorial nuclear level densities based on the Gogny nucleon-nucleon effective interaction

A combinatorial method to calculate total level densities from an arbitrary single-particle level scheme is presented. Parity, angular momentum, pairing correlations as well as collective enhancements are explicitly treated. This method is employed using single-particle level schemes obtained from Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations based on the Gogny effective interaction. Sixty five even-even nuclei with masses 26 ?A? 250 are considered. Rather good agreements are obtained when comparing our predictions with experimental data for energies of the order of the neutron binding energies and for low excitation energies where discrete levels are experimentally observed. Received: 13 February 2001 / Accepted: 24 September 2001     

The spin-quadrupole interaction and the 0<Superscript>+</Superscript> excitations in <Superscript>158</Superscript>Gd

In this work, the effect of spin-quadrupole forces on the 0⁺ sates in ¹⁵⁸Gd has been investigated. For this purpose, the model Hamiltonian including monopole pairing, quadrupole-quadrupole and spin-quadrupole forces has been diagonalized in one phonon basis. In conclusion, for the distribution of energies of the states and their collective properties, fairly good results have been obtained.     

Application of the Dyson boson expansion method to the treatment of the pairing force

The treatment of the separable pairing interaction in the context of the BRST formalism and in the Dyson boson expansion method is discussed. The approach is based on the use of the vacuum expectation value of the boson number operator to define a suitable mean field. Received: 10 April 2000 / Accepted: 6 July 2001     

Quadrupole collectivity of neutron-rich neon isotopes

The Angular Momentum Projected Generator Coordinate Method, with the quadrupole moment as collective coordinate and the Gogny force (D1S) as the effective interaction, is used to describe the properties of the ground state and low-lying excited states of the even-even neon isotopes ^20-34Ne, that is, from the stability valley up to the drip line. It is found that the ground state of the N = 20 nucleus ³⁰Ne is deformed but to a lesser extent than the N = 20 isotope of the magnesium. In the calculations, the isotope ³²Ne is at the drip line in good agreement with other theoretical predictions. On the other hand, rather good agreement with experimental data for many observables is obtained. Received: 19 Novemeber 2002 / Accepted: 24 January 2003 / Published online: 8 April 2003     

Nuclear giant resonances and linear response

We search for nonlinear effects in nuclear giant resonances (GRs), in particular the isovector dipole and the isoscalar quadrupole modes. To that end, we employ a spectral analysis of time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) dynamics using Skyrme forces. Based on TDHF calculations over a wide range of excitation amplitudes, we explore the collectivity and degree of harmonic motion in these modes. Both GR modes turn out to be highly harmonic in heavy nuclei from A = 100 on. There is no trace of a transition to irregular motion and multiple resonances are predicted. Slight anharmonicities are seen for light nuclei, particularly for ¹⁶O. These are mainly caused by the spin-orbit splitting.     

The halo of the exotic nucleus 11Li: a single Cooper pair

If neutrons are progressively added to a normal nucleus, the Pauli principle forces them into states of higher momentum. When the core becomes neutron saturated, the nucleus expels most of the wave function of the last neutrons outside to form a halo, which, because of its large size, can have a lower momentum. It is an open question how nature stabilizes such a fragile system and provides the glue needed to bind the halo neutrons to the core. Here, we show that this problem is similar to that of the instability of the normal state of an electron system at zero temperature solved by Cooper, a solution which is at the basis of BCS theory of superconductivity. By mimicking this approach using, aside from the bare nucleon-nucleon interaction, the long wavelength vibrations of the nucleus ¹¹Li, the paradigm of halo nuclei, as tailored glues of the least bound neutrons, we are able to obtain a unified and quantitative picture of the observed properties of ¹¹Li. Received: 9 May 2001 / Accepted: 17 November 2001     

Identification of band structures in the 137La nucleus

High-spin states of ¹³⁷La have been investigated with the reaction ¹³⁰Te(¹¹B, 4n) at a beam energy of 50MeV. The level scheme of ¹³⁷La has been expanded with spin up to 33/2ℏ. Several new bands have been found in this nucleus. A band crossing in the band based on the 17/2^- level has been observed at a rotational frequency of ℏω ∼ 0.48MeV. From systematic comparison, this band crossing probably originates from the alignment of protons. One of the bands with strong M1 transitions is proposed as a collective oblate band ( γ ∼ -60^°).     

Constrained relativistic mean-field approach with fixed configurations

A diabatic (configuration-fixed) constrained approach to calculate the potential energy surface (PES) of the nucleus is developed in the relativistic mean-field model. As an example, the potential energy surfaces of ²⁰⁸Pb obtained from both adiabatic and diabatic constrained approaches are investigated and compared. It is shown that the diabatic constrained approach enables one to decompose the segmented PES obtained in usual adiabatic approaches into separate parts uniquely characterized by different configurations, to follow the evolution of single-particle orbits till the very deformed region, and to obtain several well-defined deformed excited states which can hardly be expected from the adiabatic PESs.     

On the difference between proton and neutron spin-orbit splittings in nuclei

The latest experimental data on nuclei at ¹³²Sn permit us for the first time to determine the spin-orbit splittings of neutrons and protons in identical orbits in this neutron-rich doubly magic region and compare the case to that of ²⁰⁸Pb. Using the new results, which are now consistent for the two neutron-rich doubly magic regions, a theoretical analysis defines the isotopic dependence of the mean-field spin-orbit potential and leads to a simple explicit expression for the difference between the spin-orbit splittings of neutrons and protons. The isotopic dependence is explained in the framework of different theoretical approaches. Received: 13 February 2002 / Accepted: 20 February 2002     

Deformed shell model for T = 0, 1 and 2 bands in <Superscript>52</Superscript>Fe and <Superscript>72</Superscript>Kr

Deformed configuration mixing shell model based on Hartree-Fock states with extension to include isospin projection (DSMT) for two- and four-particle configurations (generated by particle-hole excitations) is applied to study the structure of the low-lying T = 0, 1 and 2 bands (or levels) in the even-even N = Z nuclei ⁵²Fe and ⁷²Kr. The pf-shell KB3 interaction for ⁵²Fe and a modified Kuos interaction for ⁷²Kr are employed in the calculations. In this first application of DSMT with four-particle T projection, low-spin (J 10) members of the T = 0, 1 and 2 bands in ⁵²Fe are compared with experiment including the known E2 transition strengths. The agreement between DSMT and experiment is reasonably good. Similarly, the low-spin members of the observed (prolate) yrast band in ⁷²Kr are also well described by DSMT.     

Effect of thermal ground state correlations on the statistical properties of the Lipkin model

The renormalized random phase approximation for hot finite Fermi systems is evaluated with the use of the thermo field dynamics formalism. This approximation treats vibrations of a hot finite Fermi system as harmonic ones but takes into account the Pauli principle in a more proper way than the usual thermal RPA, thus incorporating a new type of correlations in a thermal ground state. To demonstrate advantages of the approximation and to analyze a range of its validity, it is applied to the exactly solvable Lipkin model. A comparison is made with the exact grand canonical ensemble calculations, results of the thermal Hartree – Fock approximation and the thermal random phase approximation. The intrinsic energy of the system, the heat capacity, the average value of the quasispin operator z-projection and the particle number variance are calculated as functions of temperature. On the whole, the thermal renormalized RPA appears to be a better approximation than the other two. Its advantage is especially evident in the vicinity of the phase transition point. It is found that within TRRPA the phase transition occurs at lower temperature than in THFA and TRPA. Received: 4 January 1999 / Revised version: 10 March 1999     

Rotational bands in the near-drip-line nucleus 128Nd

The even-even nucleus ¹²⁸Nd was studied via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy using the ⁴⁰Ca + ⁸²Mo reaction at 190 MeV. Two new bands were observed besides the yrast one, that has been extended up to spin 34⁺. Configurations were assigned to the three bands by analysing their rotational properties and by comparison with the neighboring even-even nuclei. Received: 18 July 2001 / Accepted: 25 October 2001     

Magnetic dipole response in rare earth nuclei

Experimental observations in certain rare earth nuclei have established the presence of sizeable B(M1) strength of two peak structure lying in the 5–10 MeV region. The character of the states concerned, studied within a self-consistent Random Phase Approximation using Skyrme forces, are identified to be that of proton and neutron giant spin-flip resonances. Received: 14 July 1997 / Revised version: 20 October 1997     

Microscopic structure of superdeformed states in Th, U, Pu and Cm isotopes with Gogny force

The structure properties of the even-even nuclei ^{226, 228, 230, 232, 234}Th, ^{230, 232, 234, 236, 238, 240}U, ^{240, 242, 244, 246}Pu, and ^{242, 244, 246, 248}Cm have been investigated at normal and superdeformed shapes in microscopic mean-field calculations based on Gogny force. Collective levels are predicted from constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov and configuration mixing calculations. Two quasiparticle states are also predicted from blocking calculations for neutron and proton configurations. Predictions are shown and compared with experimental data at superdeformed shapes. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: michel-g.girod@cla.tr     

Decoupling and coherence in E1 and E2 moments in drip line nuclei

I discuss first the effect of decoupling of extended wave functions and the coherence in the low-energy E1 strength in drip line nuclei ¹²Be and ¹³O, which are studied by large-scale shell model calculations including 3 ?ω configuration space. The calculated results are compared to recent experimental data of Coulomb excitations. The quenching of the core polarization charges in drip line nuclei is also discussed in relation to recent observations of quadrupole moments in B-isotopes. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001