Gamma-delayed deuteron emission of the 6Li (0+;T=1) halo state

TL;DR

This study investigates gamma-delayed deuteron emission from the 6Li (0+;T=1) halo state using a three-body model, revealing its structure, transition probabilities, and charge symmetry effects, with implications for experimental observation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of gamma decay and halo structure in 6Li, including charge symmetry breaking effects, using a three-body hyperspherical model.

Findings

The gamma width of the 6Li (0+) resonance is about 1.0 meV.

The branching ratio for gamma decay to alpha+d is approximately 1.3×10⁻⁴.

Charge symmetry breaking reduces cancellation effects seen in 6He.

Abstract

M1 transitions from the $^6$Li($0^+;T=1$) state at 3.563 MeV to the $^6$Li($1^+$) ground state and to the $\alpha+d$ continuum are studied in a three-body model. The bound states are described as an $\alpha+n+p$ system in hyperspherical coordinates on a Lagrange mesh. The ground-state magnetic moment and the gamma width of the $^6$Li(0$^+$) resonance are well reproduced. The halo-like structure of the $^6$Li$(0^+)$ resonance is confirmed and is probed by the M1 transition probability to the $\alpha+d$ continuum. The spectrum is sensitive to the description of the $\alpha+d$ phase shifts. The corresponding gamma width is around 1.0 meV, with optimal potentials. Charge symmetry is analyzed through a comparison with the $\beta$-delayed deuteron spectrum of $^6$He. In $^6$He, a nearly perfect cancellation effect between short-range and halo contributions was found. A similar analysis for the $^6$Li($0^+;T=1$) $\gamma$ decay is performed; it shows that charge-symmetry breaking at large distances, due to the different binding energies and to different charges, reduces this effect. The present branching ratio $\Gamma_{\gamma}(0^+\to \alpha+d)/\Gamma_{\gamma}(0^+\to1^+)\approx 1.3\times 10^{-4}$ should be observable with current experimental facilities.