Covariant density functional theory for nuclear chirality in $^{135}$Nd

TL;DR

This paper employs covariant density functional theory to analyze nuclear chirality in $^{135}$Nd, providing a microscopic understanding of tilted rotation and the transition from planar to aplanar motion.

Contribution

It introduces a 3D-TAC CDFT approach to study nuclear chirality, linking microscopic calculations with classical Routhian models for the first time.

Findings

Qualitative agreement between classical Routhian and 3D-TAC CDFT results

Identification of critical frequency for rotation transition

Insight into microscopic origins of tilted nuclear rotation

Abstract

The three-dimensional tilted axis cranking covariant density functional theory (3D-TAC CDFT) is used to study the chiral modes in $^{135}$Nd. By modeling the motion of the nucleus in rotating mean field as the interplay between the single-particle motions of several valence particle(s) and hole(s) and the collective motion of a core-like part, a classical Routhian is extracted. This classical Routhian gives qualitative agreement with the 3D-TAC CDFT result for the critical frequency corresponding to the transition from planar to aplanar rotation. Based on this investigation a possible understanding of tilted rotation appearing in a microscopic theory is provided.