Efimov physics around the neutron-rich 60Ca isotope

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Sep 27;111(13):132501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.132501. Epub 2013 Sep 23.

Abstract

We calculate the neutron-60Ca S-wave scattering phase shifts using state of the art coupled-cluster theory combined with modern ab initio interactions derived from chiral effective theory. Effects of three-nucleon forces are included schematically as density dependent nucleon-nucleon interactions. This information is combined with halo effective field theory in order to investigate the 60Ca-neutron-neutron system. We predict correlations between different three-body observables and the two-neutron separation energy of 62Ca. This provides evidence of Efimov physics along the calcium isotope chain. Experimental key observables that facilitate a test of our findings are discussed.