Binding two and three α particles in cold neutron matter
Abstract
We elucidate the fate of neighboring two and three-α particles in cold neutron matter by focusing on an analogy between such α systems and Fermi polarons realized in ultracold atoms. We describe in-medium excitation properties of an α particle and neutron-mediated two- and three-α interactions using theoretical approaches developed for studies of cold atomic systems. We numerically solve the few-body Schr\"odinger equation of α particles within standard α cluster models combined with in-medium properties of α particles. We point out that the resultant two-α ground state and three-α first excited state, which correspond to 8Be and the Hoyle state, respectively, known as main components in the triple-α reaction, can become bound states in such a many-neutron background although these states are unstable in vacuum. Our results suggest a significance of these in-medium cluster states not only in astrophysical environments such as core-collapsed supernova explosions and neutron star mergers but also in neutron-rich nuclei.
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