Abstract
Reaction cross sections () for , and the drip-line nucleus on a liquid hydrogen target have been measured at around by a transmission method. A large enhancement of for compared to those for neighboring C isotopes was observed. Using a finite-range Glauber calculation under an optical-limit approximation the rms matter radius of was deduced to be . It does not follow the systematic behavior of radii in carbon isotopes with , suggesting a neutron halo. It was found by an analysis based on a few-body Glauber calculation that the two-valence neutrons in preferentially occupy the orbital.
- Received 28 October 2009
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.062701
©2010 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
A breakthrough observation for neutron dripline physics
Published 8 February 2010
Observation of a two-neutron halo in makes it the heaviest “Borromean” nucleus yet observed.
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