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 7915Experimental 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