Relativistic mean field theory for deformed nuclei with pairing correlations

Abstract

We develop a relativistic mean field (RMF) description of deformed nuclei with the pairing correlations in the BCS approximation. The treatment of the pairing correlations for nuclei with the Fermi surface being close to the threshold of unbound states needs a special attention. To this end, we take the delta function interaction for the pairing interaction with the hope to pick up those states with the wave function being concentrated in the nuclear region and perform the standard BCS approximation for the single particle states generated by the RMF theory with deformation. We apply the RMF + BCS method to the Zr isotopes and obtain a good description of the binding energies and the nuclear radii of nuclei from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line.