Two-neutron “halo” from the low-energy limit of neutron–neutron interaction: Applications to drip-line nuclei 22C and 24O

Abstract

The formation of two-neutron “halo”, a low-density far-extended surface of weakly-bound two neutrons, is described using the neutron–neutron (nn) interaction fixed at the low-energy nn scattering limit. This method is tested for loosely-bound two neutrons in 24O, where a good agreement with experimental data is found. It is applied to halo neutrons in 22C in two ways: with the 20C core being closed or correlated (due to excitations from the closed core). This nn interaction is shown to be strong enough to produce a two-neutron halo in both cases, locating 22C on the drip line, while 21C remains unbound. A unique relation between the two neutron separation energy, S2n, and the radius of neutron halo is presented. New predictions for S2n and the radius of neutron halo are given for 22C. The appearance of Efimov states is also discussed.

Keywords

• Two-neutron halo
• Neutron–neutron interaction
• 22C
• 24O
• Drip line
• Two-neutron separation energy