Triton/$^{3}$He ratio as an observable for neutron skin thickness

Abstract

Based on the framework of the Isospin-Dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics (IQMD) model in which the initial neutron and proton densities are sampled according to the droplet model, the correlation between triton-to-$^{3}$He yield ratio (R(t/$^{3}$He)$=$Yield(t)/Yield($^{3}$He)) and neutron skin thickness ($δ_{np}$) in neutron-rich projectile induced reactions is investigated. By changing the diffuseness parameter of neutron density distribution in the droplet model for the projectile to obtain different $δ_{np}$, the relationship between $δ_{np}$ and the corresponding R(t/$^{3}$He) in semi-peripheral collisions is obtained. The calculated results show that R(t/$^{3}$He) has a strong linear correlation with $δ_{np}$ for neutron-rich $^{50}$Ca and $^{68}$Ni nuclei. It is suggested that R(t/$^{3}$He) could be regarded as a good experimental observable to extract $δ_{np}$ for neutron-rich nuclei because the yields of charged particles triton and $^{3}$He can be measured quite precisely.

7 pages and 6 figures