A novel approach to light cluster production in heavy-ion collisions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method for modeling light cluster production in heavy-ion collisions by incorporating cluster correlations into the quantum molecular dynamics model, successfully reproducing experimental data.

Contribution

It is the first to integrate cluster correlation into QMD for describing light cluster production, improving agreement with experimental results.

Findings

Successfully reproduces experimental multiplicities of light clusters.

Highlights importance of cluster binding energies and Pauli repulsion.

Demonstrates the potential of QMD with cluster correlation for heavy-ion collision studies.

Abstract

The issue of cluster production in heavy-ion collisions is addressed in a new manner, by implementing cluster correlation into the quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) transport model. We demonstrate for the first time, the good potentialities of this popular transport approach in the description of light cluster production including the deuteron, triton, $^{3}$He and $\alpha$ particle in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies. Both the INDRA and FOPI experimental data of the total multiplicities of light clusters and the charge distributions of heavier fragments are reasonably reproduced by the unified approach. The effects of both the cluster binding energies and the pauli repulsion are also shown to play crucial roles in the production of clusters.