Possible existence of bound nuclei beyond neutron drip lines driven by deformation

TL;DR

This study uses relativistic calculations to explore how nuclear deformation can enable nuclei beyond the neutron drip line to remain bound, revealing deformation's crucial role in nuclear stability.

Contribution

It demonstrates that nuclear deformation, including higher-order deformations, can allow nuclei beyond the neutron drip line to be bound, a novel insight in nuclear physics.

Findings

Bound nuclei beyond neutron drip line predicted in Z=106,108,110 isotopes.

Deformation, especially higher-order, is essential for reentrant binding.

Deformation mechanisms explain stability beyond traditional limits.

Abstract

Based on the relativistic calculations of the nuclear masses in the transfermium region from No $(Z=102)$ to Ds $(Z=110)$ by the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum, the possible existence of the bound nuclei beyond the neutron drip lines is studied. The two-neutron and multi-neutron emission bound nuclei beyond the primary neutron drip line of $N=258$ are predicted in $Z=106,108$ and $110$ isotopes. Detailed microscopic mechanism investigation reveals that nuclear deformation plays a vital role in the existence of the bound nuclei beyond the drip line. Furthermore, not only the quadrupole deformation $\beta_{2}$, but also the higher orders of deformation are indispensible in the reliable description of the phenomenon of the reentrant binding.