Alpha-cluster Condensations in Nuclei and Experimental Approaches for their Studies

Abstract

The formation of alpha-clusters in nuclei close to the decay thresholds is discussed. These states can be considered to be boson-condensates, which are formed in a second order phase transition in a mixture of nucleons and alpha-particles. The de Broglie wavelength of the alpha-particles is larger than the nuclear diameter, therefore the coherent properties of the alpha-particles give particular effects for the study of such states. The states are above the thresholds thus the enhanced emission of multiple-alphas into the same direction is observed. The probability for the emission of multiple-alphas is not described by Hauser-Feshbach theory for compound nucleus decay.