'Magic' nucleus 42Si

Nuclear shell structures--the distribution of the quantum states of individual protons and neutrons--provide one of our most important guides for understanding the stability of atomic nuclei. Nuclei with 'magic numbers' of protons and/or neutrons (corresponding to closed shells of strongly bound nucleons) are particularly stable. Whether the major shell closures and magic numbers change in very neutron-rich nuclei (potentially causing shape deformations) is a fundamental, and at present open, question. A unique opportunity to study these shell effects is offered by the 42Si nucleus, which has 28 neutrons--a magic number in stable nuclei--and 14 protons. This nucleus has a 12-neutron excess over the heaviest stable silicon nuclide, and has only one neutron fewer than the heaviest silicon nuclide observed so far. Here we report measurements of 42Si and two neighbouring nuclei using a technique involving one- and two-nucleon knockout from beams of exotic nuclei. We present strong evidence for a well-developed proton subshell closure at Z = 14 (14 protons), the near degeneracy of two different (s(1/2) and d(3/2)) proton orbits in the vicinity of 42Si, and a nearly spherical shape for 42Si.     

Superallowed Gamow-Teller decay of the doubly magic nucleus 100Sn

The shell structure of atomic nuclei is associated with 'magic numbers' and originates in the nearly independent motion of neutrons and protons in a mean potential generated by all nucleons. During β(+)-decay, a proton transforms into a neutron in a previously not fully occupied orbital, emitting a positron-neutrino pair with either parallel or antiparallel spins, in a Gamow-Teller or Fermi transition, respectively. The transition probability, or strength, of a Gamow-Teller transition depends sensitively on the underlying shell structure and is usually distributed among many states in the neighbouring nucleus. Here we report measurements of the half-life and decay energy for the decay of (100)Sn, the heaviest doubly magic nucleus with equal numbers of protons and neutrons. In the β-decay of (100)Sn, a large fraction of the strength is observable because of the large decay energy. We determine the largest Gamow-Teller strength so far measured in allowed nuclear β-decay, establishing the 'superallowed' nature of this Gamow-Teller transition. The large strength and the low-energy states in the daughter nucleus, (100)In, are well reproduced by modern, large-scale shell model calculations.     

Discovery of 40Mg and 42Al suggests neutron drip-line slant towards heavier isotopes

A fundamental question in nuclear physics is what combinations of neutrons and protons can make up a nucleus. Many hundreds of exotic neutron-rich isotopes have never been observed; the limit of how many neutrons a given number of protons can bind is unknown for all but the lightest elements, owing to the delicate interplay between single particle and collective quantum effects in the nucleus. This limit, known as the neutron drip line, provides a benchmark for models of the atomic nucleus. Here we report a significant advance in the determination of this limit: the discovery of two new neutron-rich isotopes--40Mg and 42Al--that are predicted to be drip-line nuclei. In the past, several attempts to observe 40Mg were unsuccessful; moreover, the observation of 42Al provides an experimental indication that the neutron drip line may be located further towards heavier isotopes in this mass region than is currently believed. In stable nuclei, attractive pairing forces enhance the stability of isotopes with even numbers of protons and neutrons. In contrast, the present work shows that nuclei at the drip line gain stability from an unpaired proton, which narrows the shell gaps and provides the opportunity to bind many more neutrons.     

Evidence for a spin-aligned neutron-proton paired phase from the level structure of (92)Pd

Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing, in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus (92)Pd. Gamma rays emitted following the (58)Ni((36)Ar,2n)(92)Pd fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution γ-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction. We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.     

7核素列的三角形与4线联系

在坐标单位是氘氚结团的正方形核素图中,描述一个线性7核素组成的三角形,其顶点与3边中点都是7核素列的端点;另外,说明开始点核素在坐标S轴上的4列偶奇相间的7核素列统一于关系式:S=a+n H(n=1,2,3,4).可以以上结论为突破点,探索核素体系的本质.     

Nuclear isomers in superheavy elements as stepping stones towards the island of stability

A long-standing prediction of nuclear models is the emergence of a region of long-lived, or even stable, superheavy elements beyond the actinides. These nuclei owe their enhanced stability to closed shells in the structure of both protons and neutrons. However, theoretical approaches to date do not yield consistent predictions of the precise limits of the 'island of stability'; experimental studies are therefore crucial. The bulk of experimental effort so far has been focused on the direct creation of superheavy elements in heavy ion fusion reactions, leading to the production of elements up to proton number Z = 118 (refs 4, 5). Recently, it has become possible to make detailed spectroscopic studies of nuclei beyond fermium (Z = 100), with the aim of understanding the underlying single-particle structure of superheavy elements. Here we report such a study of the nobelium isotope 254No, with 102 protons and 152 neutrons--the heaviest nucleus studied in this manner to date. We find three excited structures, two of which are isomeric (metastable). One of these structures is firmly assigned to a two-proton excitation. These states are highly significant as their location is sensitive to single-particle levels above the gap in shell energies predicted at Z = 114, and thus provide a microscopic benchmark for nuclear models of the superheavy elements.     

核素稳定区的外围线

在参量S=2Z-N、H=N-Z的正方形核素图中,分析说明稳定区左界的以坐标△H=8、△H=8,4、△H=2,4,8的三部分递变.稳定区上区与右侧边界,是从核素坐标(30,30)至上界坐标H44,再至坐标H16,再向下递变至坐标H2的核素225042Cr226的边界,显示出以坐标△H=2,4,8、△H=2,2,4,4,8,8、△H=1,1,2,2,4,4的系统递变.根据各类核素分布以2递变的规律,把稳定范围常数44分解成2的幂数列,综合得到稳定核素分布的新基本规律是:1,2,4,8,16,8,4,2,1.核素图中坐标的物理意义是,氘氚结团是能发现新规律的原因,因为它自动地包含了核内质子与中子间的主要相互作用.     

How atomic nuclei cluster

Nucleonic matter displays a quantum-liquid structure, but in some cases finite nuclei behave like molecules composed of clusters of protons and neutrons. Clustering is a recurrent feature in light nuclei, from beryllium to nickel. Cluster structures are typically observed as excited states close to the corresponding decay threshold; the origin of this phenomenon lies in the effective nuclear interaction, but the detailed mechanism of clustering in nuclei has not yet been fully understood. Here we use the theoretical framework of energy-density functionals, encompassing both cluster and quantum liquid-drop aspects of nuclei, to show that conditions for cluster formation can in part be traced back to the depth of the confining nuclear potential. For the illustrative example of neon-20, we show that the depth of the potential determines the energy spacings between single-nucleon orbitals in deformed nuclei, the localization of the corresponding wavefunctions and, therefore, the degree of nucleonic density clustering. Relativistic functionals, in particular, are characterized by deep single-nucleon potentials. When compared to non-relativistic functionals that yield similar ground-state properties (binding energy, deformation, radii), they predict the occurrence of much more pronounced cluster structures. More generally, clustering is considered as a transitional phenomenon between crystalline and quantum-liquid phases of fermionic systems.     

稳定原子核的质子壳层模型

提出稳定原子核的质子壳层模型,模型假设原子核中质子位于核的外表一层,建立质子数和中子数的数学表达式,给出模型的计算结果,最后列出由模型推演出的一些结论。     

Shape coexistence and triaxiality in the superheavy nuclei

Superheavy nuclei represent the limit of nuclear mass and charge; they inhabit the remote corner of the nuclear landscape, whose extent is unknown. The discovery of new elements with atomic numbers Z > or = 110 has brought much excitement to the atomic and nuclear physics communities. The existence of such heavy nuclei hangs on a subtle balance between the attractive nuclear force and the disruptive Coulomb repulsion between protons that favours fission. Here we model the interplay between these forces using self-consistent energy density functional theory; our approach accounts for spontaneous breaking of spherical symmetry through the nuclear Jahn-Teller effect. We predict that the long-lived superheavy elements can exist in a variety of shapes, including spherical, axial and triaxial configurations. In some cases, we anticipate the existence of metastable states and shape isomers that can affect decay properties and hence nuclear half-lives.     

The limits of the nuclear landscape

In 2011, 100 new nuclides were discovered. They joined the approximately 3,000 stable and radioactive nuclides that either occur naturally on Earth or are synthesized in the laboratory. Every atomic nucleus, characterized by a specific number of protons and neutrons, occupies a spot on the chart of nuclides, which is bounded by 'drip lines' indicating the values of neutron and proton number at which nuclear binding ends. The placement of the neutron drip line for the heavier elements is based on theoretical predictions using extreme extrapolations, and so is uncertain. However, it is not known how uncertain it is or how many protons and neutrons can be bound in a nucleus. Here we estimate these limits of the nuclear 'landscape' and provide statistical and systematic uncertainties for our predictions. We use nuclear density functional theory, several Skyrme interactions and high-performance computing, and find that the number of bound nuclides with between 2 and 120 protons is around 7,000. We find that extrapolations for drip-line positions and selected nuclear properties, including neutron separation energies relevant to astrophysical processes, are very consistent between the models used.     

Proton-proton correlations observed in two-proton radioactivity of 94Ag

The stability and spontaneous decay of naturally occurring atomic nuclei have been much studied ever since Becquerel discovered natural radioactivity in 1896. In 1960, proton-rich nuclei with an odd or an even atomic number Z were predicted to decay through one- and two-proton radioactivity, respectively. The experimental observation of one-proton radioactivity was first reported in 1982, and two-proton radioactivity has now also been detected by experimentally studying the decay properties of 45Fe (refs 3, 4) and 54Zn (ref. 5). Here we report proton-proton correlations observed during the radioactive decay of a spinning long-lived state of the lightest known isotope of silver, 94Ag, which is known to undergo one-proton decay. We infer from these correlations that the long-lived state must also decay through simultaneous two-proton emission, making 94Ag the first nucleus to exhibit one- as well as two-proton radioactivity. We attribute the two-proton emission behaviour and the unexpectedly large probability for this decay mechanism to a very large deformation of the parent nucleus into a prolate (cigar-like) shape, which facilitates emission of protons either from the same or from opposite ends of the 'cigar'.     

Quantum states of neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field.

The discrete quantum properties of matter are manifest in a variety of phenomena. Any particle that is trapped in a sufficiently deep and wide potential well is settled in quantum bound states. For example, the existence of quantum states of electrons in an electromagnetic field is responsible for the structure of atoms, and quantum states of nucleons in a strong nuclear field give rise to the structure of atomic nuclei. In an analogous way, the gravitational field should lead to the formation of quantum states. But the gravitational force is extremely weak compared to the electromagnetic and nuclear force, so the observation of quantum states of matter in a gravitational field is extremely challenging. Because of their charge neutrality and long lifetime, neutrons are promising candidates with which to observe such an effect. Here we report experimental evidence for gravitational quantum bound states of neutrons. The particles are allowed to fall towards a horizontal mirror which, together with the Earth's gravitational field, provides the necessary confining potential well. Under such conditions, the falling neutrons do not move continuously along the vertical direction, but rather jump from one height to another, as predicted by quantum theory.     

高能质子核反应截面的Monte Carlo计算

根据高能质子核反应的核内级联模型,采用Monte Carlo方法对高能质子入射靶核的核反应过程进行了模拟计算。碰撞进入靶核内的质子初始位置由随机抽样得到,而初始的能量和动量通过守恒定律计算得出;靶核内的核子数密度采用均匀分布近似;被碰核子的初始动量从Fermi分布中随机抽样得到,被碰核子的初始运动方向从各向同性分布中抽样;核子-核子碰撞动力学采用相对论下的两体碰撞近似。编程计算了高能质子核反应截面、次级粒子能谱等数据,并与相关结果进行了对比分析。     

科学:永无止境的迷宫--谈人类对物质结构的认识

通过人类对物质结构认识的发展简史以及粒子物理的重大进展，说明科学是类似于永无止境的迷宫，不可能走向终极。     

Quantum distribution of protons in solid molecular hydrogen at megabar pressures

Solid hydrogen, a simple system consisting only of protons and electrons, exhibits a variety of structural phase transitions at high pressures. Experimental studies based on static compression up to about 230 GPa revealed three relevant phases of solid molecular hydrogen: phase I (high-temperature, low-pressure phase), phase II (low-temperature phase) and phase III (high-pressure phase). Spectroscopic data suggest that symmetry breaking, possibly related to orientational ordering, accompanies the transition into phases II and III. The boundaries dividing the three phases exhibit a strong isotope effect, indicating that the quantum-mechanical properties of hydrogen nuclei are important. Here we report the quantum distributions of protons in the three phases of solid hydrogen, obtained by a first-principles path-integral molecular dynamics method. We show that quantum fluctuations of protons effectively hinder molecular rotation--that is, a quantum localization occurs. The obtained crystal structures have entirely different symmetries from those predicted by the conventional simulations which treat protons classically.     

Geant4模拟半导体器件的单粒子效应

利用Monte Carlo软件Geant4模拟了质子和中子在半导体静态随机存储器模型中的输运过程。根据入射粒子的能量选择不同的物理模型,并采用强迫碰撞方法,模拟了高能质子和中子与硅原子的相互作用及其次级反应过程,给出了0.1~2 GeV超高能质子、中子和14 MeV中子辐照器件时存储单元灵敏区内的能量沉积,并根据具体器件的临界能量,得到了器件在不同能量的高能质子和中子辐照下引起的单粒子翻转截面和多位翻转截面,计算结果与文献资料结果符合较好。     

Unexpected inhibition of fusion in nucleus-nucleus collisions

Unstable heavy atomic nuclei not found in nature can be created by fusing two stable nuclei, in a process analogous to colliding charged droplets of liquid. Recently, the formation of a handful of super-heavy nuclei with atomic numbers 114 (ref. 1) and 116 (ref. 2) has been achieved by fusion of heavy nuclei. The electrostatic energy of such systems is very large (which is the reason super-heavy nuclei are unstable), so although the two nuclei may initially be captured by the nuclear potential, rather than fusing, they almost always separate after transfer of mass to the lighter nucleus. This process, called quasi-fission, can inhibit fusion by many orders of magnitude. Understanding this inhibition may hold the key to forming more super-heavy elements. Theoretically, inhibition is predicted (ref. 5 and references therein) when the product Z1Z2 of the charges of the projectile and target nuclei is larger than about 1,600. Here we report measurements of three fusion reactions with Z1Z2 around half this value, each forming 216 88Ra. We find convincing model-independent evidence both of inhibition of fusion, and of the presence of quasi-fission. These results defy interpretation within the standard picture of nuclear fusion and fission.     

基于壳模型分析94Tc能级结构

利用NUSHELLX球形壳模型程序, 考虑两种不同组态空间下⁹⁴Tc的能级结构. 计算结果表明, ⁹⁴Tc的正宇称自旋态激发机制主要为p_1/2轨道质子跨越Z=40亚壳向高jg_9/2轨道跃迁, (f_5/2,p_3/2)轨道质子跨越Z=38闭壳向(p_1/2,g_9/2)轨道激发, 负宇称自旋态为d_5/2轨道中子跨越N=56亚壳向(g_7/2,h_11/2)轨道激发.     

偶坐标S=18～6核素分布的特点

在正方形核素图中，坐标偶常数Ｓ＝１８－６的核素分布显示出系统的规律性，这七个偶Ｓ常数列的连续核表现出坐标Ｓ＝１８有７核，坐标Ｓ＝４与１２各有５核，坐标Ｓ＝１０至６的四列都是三核，呈现出以１，２，４组相同的递变特点。它们的范围下界是坐标Ｈ＝０，偶偶核以坐标（１２，４）为中心联系，其首中终坐标（６，２）（１２，４）（１８，６）以（６，２）的倍数联系。