Structure and decay pattern of linear-chain state in 14C

TL;DR

This study uses antisymmetrized molecular dynamics to investigate the structure and decay patterns of linear-chain states in 14C, confirming their formation in positive-parity states through energy, decay widths, and characteristic decay patterns.

Contribution

It provides the first theoretical analysis linking decay patterns to linear-chain formation in 14C, especially highlighting differences between positive- and negative-parity states.

Findings

Positive-parity linear-chain states agree with experimental energies and decay widths.

Negative-parity states do not form a single linear-chain rotational band.

Characteristic decay to excited states of 10Be supports linear-chain formation.

Abstract

The linear-chain states of $^{14}$C are theoretically investigated by using the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. The calculated excitation energies and the $\alpha$ decay widths of the linear-chain states were compared with the observed data reported by the recent experiments. The properties of the positive-parity linear-chain states reasonably agree with the observation, that convinces us of the linear-chain formation in the positive-parity states. On the other hand, in the negative-parity states, it is found that the linear-chain configuration is fragmented into many states and do not form a single rotational band. As a further evidence of the linear-chain formation, we focus on the $\alpha$ decay pattern. It is shown that the linear-chain states decay to the excited states of daughter nucleus $^{10}{\rm Be}$ as well as to the ground state, while other cluster states dominantly decay into the ground state. Hence, we regard that this characteristic decay pattern is a strong signature of the linear-chain formation.