Structure of two- and three-alpha systems in cold neutron matter

Abstract

We present stability and structure of two- and three-alpha systems embedded in dilute cold neutron matter. By solving a few-alpha Schr\"{o}dinger equation with quasiparticle properties, i.e., effective mass and induced two- and three-alpha interactions, which are evaluated in terms of Fermi polarons, it is shown that $^8 \mathrm{Be}$ and the Hoyle state become bound at densities of about $10^{-4}$ and $10^{-3}$ of the saturation density, respectively. It is also seen that, under cold neutron matter environment, both systems become smaller than the corresponding systems in vacuum. Our results would affect astrophysical models for stellar collapse and neutron star mergers, as well as relevant reaction rates for nucleosynthesis.