Effects of cluster-shell competition and BCS-like pairing in $^{12}$C

TL;DR

This paper extends the antisymmetrized quasi-cluster model (AQCM) to include single particle excitations in $^{12}$C, combining cluster and shell model features to better describe nuclear structure and pairing effects.

Contribution

The study introduces an extension of AQCM to incorporate 2p2h excitations and BCS-like pairing, unifying cluster and shell model descriptions of $^{12}$C.

Findings

Successful description of 2p2h excitations in $^{12}$C

Estimation of correlation energy in both cluster and shell parts

Coupling of shell model states with cluster wave functions

Abstract

The antisymmetrized quasi-cluster model (AQCM) was proposed to describe {\alpha}-cluster and $jj$-coupling shell models on the same footing. In this model, the cluster-shell transition is characterized by two parameters; $R$ representing the distance between {\alpha} clusters and {\alpha} describing the breaking of {\alpha} clusters, and the contribution of the spin-orbit interaction, very important in the $jj$-coupling shell model, can be taken into account starting with the {\alpha} cluster model wave function. Not only the closure configurations of the major shells, but also the subclosure configurations of the $jj$-coupling shell model can be described starting with the {\alpha}-cluster model wave functions; however, the particle hole excitations of single particles have not been fully established yet. In this study we show that the framework of AQCM can be extended even to the states with the character of single particle excitations. For $^{12}$C, two particle two hole (2p2h) excitations from the subclosure configuration of $0p_{3/2}$ corresponding to BCS-like pairing are described, and these shell model states are coupled with the three {\alpha} cluster model wave functions. The correlation energy from the optimal configuration can be estimated not only in the cluster part but also in the shell model part. We try to pave the way to establish a generalized description of the nuclear structure.