First Observation of Ground State Dineutron Decay: Be16
Abstract
We report on the first observation of dineutron emission in the decay of Be16. A single-proton knockout reaction from a 53MeV/u B17 beam was used to populate the ground state of Be16. Be16 is bound with respect to the emission of one neutron and unbound to two-neutron emission. The dineutron character of the decay is evidenced by a small emission angle between the two neutrons. The two-neutron separation energy of Be16 was measured to be 1.35(10) MeV, in good agreement with shell model calculations, using standard interactions for this mass region.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- March 2012
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2012PhRvL.108j2501S
- Keywords:
-
- 21.10.-k;
- 21.10.Dr;
- 27.20.+n;
- Properties of nuclei;
- nuclear energy levels;
- Binding energies and masses;
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- =A<
- =19