Evidence for $α$-particle condensation in nuclei from the Hoyle state deexcitation
arXiv:1110.1617 · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2011.10.008
Abstract
The fragmentation of quasi-projectiles from the nuclear reaction $^{40}$Ca+$^{12}$C at 25 MeV/nucleon was used to produce excited states candidates to $α$-particle condensation. Complete kinematic characterization of individual decay events, made possible by a high-granularity 4$Ï$ charged particle multi-detector, reveals that 7.5$\pm$4.0% of the particle decays of the Hoyle state correspond to direct decays in three equal-energy $α$-particles.
Phys. Lett. B, in press