The critical behavior for the light nuclei with A$sim 36$ has been investigated experimentally by the NIMROD multi-detectors. The wide variety of observables indicate the critical point has been reached in the disassembly of hot nuclei at an excitation energy of 5.6$pm$0.5 MeV/u.
An extensive experimental survey of the features of the disassembly of a small quasi-projectile system with $A sim$ 36, produced in the reactions of 47 MeV/nucleon $^{40}$Ar + $^{27}$Al, $^{48}$Ti and $^{58}$Ni, has been carried out. Nuclei in the excitation energy range of 1-9 MeV/u have been investigated employing a new method to reconstruct the quasi-projectile source. At an excitation energy $sim$ 5.6 MeV/nucleon many observables indicate the presence of maximal fluctuations in the de-excitation processes. The fragment topological structure shows that the rank sorted fragments obey Zipfs law at the point of largest fluctuations providing another indication of a liquid gas phase transition. The caloric curve for this system shows a monotonic increase of temperature with excitation energy and no apparent plateau. The temperature at the point of maximal fluctuations is $8.3 pm 0.5$ MeV. Taking this temperature as the critical temperature and employing the caloric curve information we have extracted the critical exponents $beta$, $gamma$ and $sigma$ from the data. Their values are also consistent with the values of the universality class of the liquid gas phase transition. Taken together, this body of evidence strongly suggests a phase change in an equilibrated mesoscopic system at, or extremely close to, the critical point.
Our present understanding of the structure of the Hoyle state in $^{12}$C and other near-threshold states in $alpha$-conjugate nuclei is reviewed in the framework of the $alpha$-condensate model. The $^{12}$C Hoyle state, in particular, is a candidate for $alpha$-condensation, due to its large radius and $alpha$-cluster structure. The predicted features of nuclear $alpha$-particle condensates are reviewed along with a discussion of their experimental indicators, with a focus on precision break-up measurements. Two experiments are discussed in detail, firstly concerning the break-up of $^{12}$C and then the decays of heavier nuclei. With more theoretical input, and increasingly complex detector setups, precision break-up measurements can, in principle, provide insight into the structures of states in $alpha$-conjugate nuclei. However, the commonly-held belief that the decay of a condensate state will result in $N$ $alpha$-particles is challenged. We further conclude that unambiguously characterising excited states built on $alpha$-condensates is difficult, despite improvements in detector technology.
The dynamics present in the fusion of neutron-rich nuclei is explored through the comparison of experimental cross-sections at above-barrier energies with measurements of the interaction cross-section at relativistic energies. The increase of fusion dynamics with increasing neutron excess is clearly demonstrated. Experimental cross-sections are compared with the predictions of a Sao Paulo model using relativistic mean field density distributions and the impact of different interactions is explored.
The dependence of fusion dynamics on neutron excess for light nuclei is extracted. This is accomplished by comparing the average fusion cross-section at energies just above the fusion barrier for $^{12-15}$C + $^{12}$C with measurements of the interaction cross-section from high evergy collisions. The experimental results indicate that the fusion cross-section associated with dynamics increases with increasing neutron excess. Calculations with a time-dependent Hartree-Fock model fail to describe the observed trend.
Beta-delayed proton emission may occur at very low rates in the decays of the light nuclei $^{11}$Be and $^8$B. This paper explores the potential physical significance of such decays, estimates their rates and reports on first attempts to detect them: an experiment at ISOLDE/CERN gives a branching ratio for $^{11}$Be of $(2.5 pm 2.5) cdot 10^{-6}$ and an experiment at JYFL a 95% confidence upper limit of $2.6 cdot 10^{-5}$ for $^8$B.