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.