Relativistic Thomas-Fermi description of Sm isotopes at finite temperature

Abstract

The caloric curve (excitation energy per particle as a function of temperature) for finite nuclei is calculated within the non-linear Walecka model for different proton fractions and different parameterizations. The results obtained are compared with published experimental data and other theoretical results. Other properties related with the droplet formation as the surface energy, neutron skin thickness and binding energy per nucleon are also displayed as a function of temperature and their behaviours are discussed. It is shown that the caloric curve is sensitive to the proton fraction and to the Coulomb interaction. At T=0 the droplet properties do not depend on the parameterization used. At finite temperature however, the sensitivity appears.