No Arabic abstract
The fully self-consistent Hartree-Fock (HF) plus random phase approximation (RPA) based on Skyrme-type interaction is used to study the existence problem of proton semi-bubble structure in the $2_1^+$ state of $^{34}$Si. The experimental excitation energy and the B(E2) strength of the $2_1^+$ state in $^{34}$Si can be reproduced quite well. The tensor effect is also studied. It is shown that the tensor interaction has a notable impact on the excitation energy of the $2_1^+$ state and a small effect on the B(E2) value. Besides, its effect on the density distributions in the ground and $2_1^+$ state of $^{34}$Si is negligible. Our present results with T36 and T44 show that the $2_1^+$ state of $^{34}$Si is mainly caused by proton transiton from $pi 1d_{5/2}$ orbit to $pi 2s_{1/2}$ orbit, and the existence of a proton semi-bubble structure in this state is very unlikely.
Many properties of the atomic nucleus, such as vibrations, rotations and incompressibility, can be interpreted as due to a two component quantum liquid of protons and neutrons. Electron scattering measurements on stable nuclei demonstrate that their central densities are saturated, as for liquid drops. In exotic nuclei near the limits of mass and charge, with large imbalances in their proton and neutron numbers, the possibility of a depleted central density, or a bubble structure, has been discussed in a recurrent manner since the 1970s. Here we report first experimental evidence that points to a depletion of the central density of protons in the short-lived nucleus 34Si. The proton-to-neutron density asymmetry in 34Si offers the possibility to place constraints on the density and isospin dependence of the spin--orbit force-on which nuclear models have disagreed for decades-and on its stabilizing effect towards limits of nuclear existence.
The possibility that an unconventional depletion in the center of the charge density distribution of certain nuclei occurs due to a purely quantum mechanical effect has attracted theoretical and experimental attention in recent years. We report on ab initio self-consistent Greens function calculations of one of such candidates, $^{34}$Si, together with its Z+2 neighbour $^{36}$S. Binding energies, rms radii and density distributions of the two nuclei as well as low-lying spectroscopy of $^{35}$Si, $^{37}$S, $^{33}$Al and $^{35}$P are discussed. The interpretation of one-nucleon removal and addition spectra in terms of the evolution of the underlying shell structure is also provided. The study is repeated using several chiral effective field theory Hamiltonians as a way to test the robustness of the results with respect to input inter-nucleon interactions. The prediction regarding the (non-)existence of the bubble structure in $^{34}$Si varies significantly with the nuclear Hamiltonian used. However, demanding that the experimental charge density distribution and the root mean square radius of $^{36}$S are well reproduced, along with $^{34}$Si and $^{36}$S binding energies, only leaves the NNLO$_{text{sat}}$ Hamiltonian as a serious candidate to perform this prediction. In this context, a bubble structure, whose fingerprint should be visible in an electron scattering experiment of $^{34}$Si, is predicted. Furthermore, a clear correlation is established between the occurrence of the bubble structure and the weakening of the 1/2$^-$-3/2$^-$ splitting in the spectrum of $^{35}$Si as compared to $^{37}$S.
Decay mode of the $2_1^+$ resonant state of $^6$He populated by the $^6$He breakup reaction by $^{12}$C at 240 MeV/nucleon is investigated. The continuum-discretized coupled-channels method is adopted to describe the formation of the $2_1^+$ state, whereas its decay is described by the complex-scaled solutions of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation. From analysis of invariant mass spectra with respect to the $alpha$-$n$ and $n$-$n$ subsystems, coexistence of two decay modes is found. One is the simultaneous decay of two neutrons correlating with each other and the other is the emission of two neutrons to the opposite directions. The latter is found to be free from the final state interaction and suggests existence of a di-neutron in the $2_1^+$ state of $^6$He.
The 0$^+_2$ state in $^{34}$Si has been populated at the {sc Ganil/Lise3} facility through the $beta$-decay of a newly discovered 1$^+$ isomer in $^{34}$Al of 26(1) ms half-life. The simultaneous detection of $e^+e^-$ pairs allowed the determination of the excitation energy E(0$^+_2$)=2719(3) keV and the half-life T$_{1/2}$=19.4(7) ns, from which an electric monopole strength of $rho^2$(E0)=13.0(0.9)$times10^{-3}$ was deduced. The 2$^+_1$ state is observed to decay both to the 0$^+_1$ ground state and to the newly observed 0$^+_2$ state (via a 607(2) keV transition) with a ratio R(2$^+_1$$rightarrow0^+_1/2^+_1$$rightarrow0^+_2$)=1380(717). Gathering all information, a weak mixing with the 0$^+_1$ and a large deformation parameter of $beta$=0.29(4) are found for the 0$^+_2$ state, in good agreement with shell model calculations using a new {sc sdpf-u-mix} interaction allowing textit{np-nh} excitations across the N=20 shell gap.
Bubble nuclei are characterized by a depletion of their central density. Their existence is examined within three different theoretical frameworks: the shell model as well as non-relativistic and relativistic microscopic mean-field approaches. We propose $^{34}$Si and $^{22}$O as possible candidates for proton and neutron bubble nuclei, respectively. In the case of $^{22}$O, we observe a significant model dependence, thereby calling into question the bubble structure of $^{22}$O. In contrast, an overall agreement among the models is obtained for $^{34}$Si. Indeed, all models predict a central proton density depletion of about 40%. This result provides strong evidence in favor of a proton bubble in $^{34}$Si.