Observation of a correlated free four-neutron system
Journal article, 2022

A long-standing question in nuclear physics is whether chargeless nuclear systems can exist. To our knowledge, only neutron stars represent near-pure neutron systems, where neutrons are squeezed together by the gravitational force to very high densities. The experimental search for isolated multi-neutron systems has been an ongoing quest for several decades(1), with a particular focus on the four-neutron system called the tetraneutron, resulting in only a few indications of its existence so far(2-4), leaving the tetraneutron an elusive nuclear system for six decades. Here we report on the observation of a resonance-like structure near threshold in the four-neutron system that is consistent with a quasi-bound tetraneutron state existing for a very short time. The measured energy and width of this state provide a key benchmark for our understanding of the nuclear force. The use of an experimental approach based on a knockout reaction at large momentum transfer with a radioactive high-energy He-8 beam was key.

Author

M. Duer

Technische Universität Darmstadt

T. Aumann

Helmholtz Research Academy Hesse for FAIR (HFHF)

Technische Universität Darmstadt

Helmholtz

R. Gernhaeuser

Technical University of Munich

V. Panin

Helmholtz

S. Paschalis

University of York

D. M. Rossi

Technische Universität Darmstadt

N. L. Achouri

Normandie University

D. Ahn

RIKEN

H. Baba

RIKEN

C. A. Bertulani

Texas A&M University

M. Boehmer

Technical University of Munich

A. Corsi

University Paris-Saclay

D. Cortina-Gil

Universidade de Santiagode Compostela

C. A. Douma

University of Groningen

Z. Elekes

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

University of Groningen

J. Feng

Beijing University of Technology

I. Gasparic

Ruder Boskovic Institute

J. M. Gheller

University Paris-Saclay

A. Gillibert

University Paris-Saclay

K. I. Hahn

Institute for Basic Science - Korea (IBS)

Ewha Womans University

Z. Halasz

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

A. Hirayama

Tokyo Institute of Technology

M. Holl

Technische Universität Darmstadt

N. Inabe

RIKEN

T. Isobe

RIKEN

N. Kalantar-Nayestanaki

University of Groningen

D. Kim

Institute for Basic Science - Korea (IBS)

S. Kim

Institute for Basic Science - Korea (IBS)

T. Kobayashi

Tohoku University

Y. Kondo

Tokyo Institute of Technology

I. Kuti

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

P. J. Li

The University of Hong Kong

Simon Lindberg

Chalmers, Physics, Materials Physics

S. Masuoka

University of Tokyo

J. Mayer

University of Cologne

K. Miki

Tohoku University

T. Nakamura

Tokyo Institute of Technology

Thomas Nilsson

Chalmers, Physics

A. Obertelli

The University of Hong Kong

Universidade de Santiagode Compostela

University Paris-Saclay

P. M. Potlog

Institute for Space Sciences

A. Revel

Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)

M. Sasano

RIKEN

H. Scheit

Technische Universität Darmstadt

RIKEN

F. Schindler

Technische Universität Darmstadt

H. T. Toernqvist

Helmholtz

T. Uesaka

RIKEN

Z. H. Yang

RIKEN

K. Yoneda

RIKEN

L. Zanetti

Technische Universität Darmstadt

J. Zenihiro

Kyoto University

RIKEN

Nature

0028-0836 (ISSN) 1476-4687 (eISSN)

Vol. 606 7915

Experimental studies of exotic, light nuclear systems - combining front-line physics and FAIR preparations

Swedish Research Council (VR) (2011-5324), 2012-01-01 -- 2014-12-31.

Subject Categories

Accelerator Physics and Instrumentation

Subatomic Physics

Other Physics Topics

DOI

10.1038/s41586-022-04827-6

PubMed

35732764

More information

Latest update

5/26/2023