Microscopic composition of ion-ion interaction potentials

We present a new method to calculate the total ion-ion interaction potential in terms of building blocks, which we refer to as “single-particle interaction potentials.” This allows also the composition of the separate contributions of neutrons and protons to the interaction potentials. The method is applied to nuclear collisions via the use of time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory.

Figure 1

Interaction potential for a head-on collision of ${}^{16}$O+${}^{16}$O at $E_{\mathrm{cm}}=12$ MeV. The black curve is the total ion-ion interaction potential. The red and blue curves show the contribution to the total potential coming from protons and neutrons, respectively. Also shown is the point Coulomb potential.

Figure 2

Contribution of neutron single particles to the interaction potential for a head-on collision of ${}^{16}$O+${}^{16}$O at $E_{\mathrm{cm}}=12$ MeV. The sum of all these potentials gives the neutron curve in Fig. 1. The arrow marked $R_B$ indicates the barrier top of the total potential shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3

Same as Fig. 2 but for protons.

Figure 4

Interaction potential for a head-on collision of ${}^{16}$O+${}^{24}$O at $E_{\mathrm{cm}}=12$ MeV.

Figure 5

Same as Fig. 4 but for a head-on collision of ${}^{40}$Ca+${}^{40}$Ca at $E_{\mathrm{cm}}=55$ MeV.

Figure 6

Same as Fig. 4 but for a head-on collision of ${}^{48}$Ca+${}^{132}$Sn at $E_{\mathrm{cm}}=120$ MeV. The insert magnifies the barrier-top region.