Nucleus-nucleus potential from identical-particle interference

TL;DR

This paper uses quantum interference effects in identical-particle scattering to extract nucleus-nucleus potential barrier positions, providing a new experimental method to constrain theoretical models of nuclear interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to determine barrier positions from Mott oscillations in angular distributions for the first time.

Findings

Barrier positions for $^{58}$Ni+$^{58}$Ni and $^{16}$O+$^{16}$O were successfully extracted.

The angle separation of Mott scattering valleys correlates with the closest nuclear distance.

The method offers a sensitive way to test and refine nucleus-nucleus potential models.

Abstract

Based on the quantum interference between two-identical-nucleus scattering at energies around the Coulomb barrier, the barrier positions for $^{58}$Ni+$^{58}$Ni and $^{16}$O+$^{16}$O are extracted from Mott oscillations in the angular distributions around 90$^{\circ}$ for the first time. The angle separation of pairs of Mott scattering valleys around 90$^{\circ}$ has a direct relationship with the closest distance between two nuclei in elastic scattering. Together with the barrier height from fusion excitation function, the extracted barrier position provides a sensitive probe to constrain the model predictions for the nucleus-nucleus potential barrier.