Light clusters production as a probe to the nuclear symmetry energy

Abstract

Using an isospin-dependent transport model for heavy-ion collisions induced by neutron-rich nuclei at intermediate energies, we study the production of light clusters such as deuteron, triton, and $^{3}$He via coalescence of nucleons. We find that both the yields and energy spectra of these light clusters are affected significantly by the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy, with a stiffer symmetry energy giving a larger yield.