Nucleus-nucleus potential from identical-particle interference

Abstract

Based on the quantum interference between two-identical-nucleus scattering at energies around the Coulomb barrier, the barrier positions for ${}^{58}$Ni+${}^{58}$Ni and ${}^{16}$O+${}^{16}$O are extracted from Mott oscillations in the angular distributions around 90${}^{\circ }$ for the first time. The angle separation of pairs of Mott scattering valleys around 90${}^{\circ }$ has a direct relationship with the closest distance between two nuclei in elastic scattering. Together with the barrier height from fusion excitation function, the extracted barrier position provides a sensitive probe to constrain the model predictions for the nucleus-nucleus potential barrier.

4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B