Alpha-particle condensation in excited 12C

Abstract

The fragmentation of quasi-projectiles from the nuclear reaction $^{40}Ca$+$^{12}C$ at 25 MeV/nucleon was used to produce excited states candidates to $\alpha$-particle condensation. The methodology relies on high granularity 4$\pi$ detection coupled to correlation function techniques. Under the assumption that the equality among the kinetic energies of the emitted $\alpha$-particles and the emission simultaneity constitutes a reliable fingerprint of $\alpha$ condensation, we identify several tens of events corresponding to the deexcitation of the Hoyle state of $^{12}$C which fulfill the condition.