Vanishing spin alignment : experimental indication of triaxial $\bf ^{28}Si + {^{28}Si}$ nuclear molecule

Abstract

Fragment-fragment-$γ$ coincidences have been measured for $\rm ^{28}Si + {^{28}Si}$ at an energy corresponding to the population of a conjectured resonance in $^{56}$Ni. Fragment angular distributions as well as $γ$-ray angular correlations indicate that the spin orientations of the outgoing fragments are perpendicular to the orbital angular momentum. This differs from the $\rm ^{24}Mg+{^{24}Mg}$ and the $\rm ^{12}C+{^{12}C}$ resonances, and suggests two oblate $\rm ^{28}Si$ nuclei interacting in an equator-to-equator molecular configuration.

14 pages standard REVTeX file, 3 ps Figures -- Accepted for publication in Physical Review C (Rapid Communication)