On the existence of Rydberg nuclear molecules

Author(s)

Bertulani, C. A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Frederico, T. ^[3] ; Hussein, M. S. ^{[4, 5, 6]}

Affiliation

^[1] Texas A&M Univ Commerce, Dept Phys & Astron, Commerce, TX 75429 - USA

^[2] Tech Univ Darmstadt, Inst Kernphys, D-64289 Darmstadt - Germany

^[3] Inst Tecnol Aeronaut, Dept Fis, BR-12228900 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

^[4] DCTA, Inst Tecnol Aeronaut, BR-12228900 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis, CP 66318, BR-05314970 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Estudos Avancados, CP 72012, BR-05508970 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Physics Letters B; v. 774, p. 247-251, NOV 10 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Present nuclear detection techniques prevents us from determining if the analogue of a Rydberg molecule exists for the nuclear case. But nothing in nature disallows their existence. As in the atomic case, Rydberg nuclear molecules would be a laboratory for new aspects and applications of nuclear physics. We propose that Rydberg nuclear molecules, which represent the exotic, halo nuclei version, such as Be-11 + Be-11, of the well known quasimolecules observed in stable nuclei such as C-12 + C-12, might be common structures that could manifest their existence along the dripline. A study of possible candidates and the expected structure of such exotic clustering of two halo nuclei: the Rydberg nuclear molecules, is made on the basis of three different methods. It is shown that such cluster structures might be stable and unexpectedly common. (c) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/08388-0 - Non-perturbative dynamics in relativistic quantum field theory applied to graphene and to quantum chromodynamics
• Grantee: Tobias Frederico
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International