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Physical Review C

Quantum phase transition in the spherical mean-field plus quadrupole-quadrupole and pairing model in a single- j shell

Bo Li, Feng Pan, Jerry Paul Draayer

Published Apr 13, 2016• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The quantum-phase-transitional behavior of the spherical shell-model mean field plus the geometric quadrupole-quadrupole and standard pairing model within a single-$j$ shell is analyzed in detail. Various quantities, such as low-lying energy levels, some typical energy ratios, the overlaps of the excited states with those of the corresponding limiting cases, $B(E2)$ values and electric quadrupole moments of some low-lying states and their ratios, as functions of the control parameter of the model in a $j=15/2$ shell are calculated as an example, in which only a crossover occurs due to the Pauli exclusion. The results show that there are noticeable changes within the crossover region of the rotation-like to the pair-excitation (superconducting) phase transition, especially in the half-filling case. As an application to realistic nuclear systems, a chain of isotones $^{212}\mathrm{Rn}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{213}\mathrm{Fr}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{214}\mathrm{Ra}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{215}\mathrm{Ac}$ is chosen to be described by the model with valence protons in the $1{h}_{9/2}$ shell. As far as the low-lying energy levels, the experimentally observed $B(E2)$ values, and the electric quadrupole moment within the yrast band are concerned, these nuclei seem fitted reasonably well. The results indicate that these nuclei are all within the rotation-like to the pair-excitation phase transition near the crossover point.

DOI
10.1103/physrevc.93.044312

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The quantum-phase-transitional behavior of the spherical shell-model mean field plus the geometric quadrupole-quadrupole and standard pairing model within a single-jjj shell is analyzed in detail. Various quantities, such as low-lying energy levels, some typical energy ratios, the overlaps of the excited states with those of the corresponding limiting cases, B(E2)B(E2)B(E2) values and electric quadrupole moments of some low-lying states and their ratios, as functions of the control parameter of the model in a j=15/2j=15/2j=15/2 shell are calculated as an example, in which only a crossover occurs due to the Pauli exclusion. The results show that there are noticeable changes within the crossover region of the rotation-like to the pair-excitation (superconducting) phase transition, especially in the half-filling case. As an application to realistic nuclear systems, a chain of isotones 212Rn\ensuremath-213Fr\ensuremath-214Ra\ensuremath-215Ac^{212}\mathrm{Rn}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{213}\mathrm{Fr}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{214}\mathrm{Ra}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{215}\mathrm{Ac}212Rn\ensuremath-213Fr\ensuremath-214Ra\ensuremath-215Ac is chosen to be described by the model with valence protons in the 1h9/21{h}_{9/2}1h9/2​ shell. As far as the low-lying energy levels, the experimentally observed B(E2)B(E2)B(E2) values, and the electric quadrupole moment within the yrast band are concerned, these nuclei seem fitted reasonably well. The results indicate that these nuclei are all within the rotation-like to the pair-excitation phase transition near the crossover point.
The quantum phase transitional behavior of an alternative characterization of the spherical to axially deformed shape-phase transition in the interacting boson model is explored. Specifically, the usual SU(3) quadrupole-quadrupole interaction is replaced by an O(6) cubic interaction, and the transitional behaviors of the low-lying energy levels, eigenstates, isomer shifts, $E$2 transition rates, and expectation values of shape variables across the entire transitional region are all examined within this context. A comparison with outcomes of the usual U(5)-SU(3) transitional description shows that the spherical to axially deformed shape-phase transition can also be described within this alternative context, especially near the critical point. However, with the O(6) cubic interaction the transition is considerably smoother than for the U(5)-SU(3) case, but with the nuclear shape less well defined, even in the axially deformed limit. It is also shown that the new scheme seems better than the usual U(5)-SU(3) scheme in describing the low-lying spectrum of 152{}^{152}152Sm with X(5) critical point symmetry.
Abstract. The mean-field approximation predicts pairing and shape phase transitions in nuclei as a function of temperature or excitation energy. However, in the finite nucleus the singularities of these phase transitions are smoothed out by quantal and thermal fluctuations. An interesting question is whether signatures of these transitions survive despite the large fluctuations. The shell model Monte Carlo (SMMC) approach enables us to calculate the statistical properties of nuclei beyond the mean-field approximation in model spaces that are many orders of magnitude larger than spaces that can be treated by conventional diagonalization methods. We have extended the SMMC method to heavy nuclei and used it to study the transition from vibrational (spherical) to rotational (deformed) nuclei in families of rare-earth isotopes. We have calculated collective enhancement factors of level densities as a function of excitation energy and found that the decay of the vibrational and rotational enhancements is well correlated with the pairing and shape phase transitions, respectively.
We consider the pairing-plus-quadrupole model Hamiltonian within the framework of a many-fermion shell model. The Hamiltonian exhibits a transition from a superconducting to a rotational phase with variation of a parameter. The model has analytical solutions in its two limits due to the presence of dynamical symmetries. However, the symmetries are basically incompatible with one another which means that no simple solution exists in intermediate situations. Exact (numerical) solutions are nevertheless possible on a computer and enable one to study the behavior of competing but incompatible symmetries and the phase transitions that result in a semirealistic situation. This mixed-symmetry dynamics generates a rich structure which gives new insight for the study of phase transitions.
The mean-field approximation predicts pairing and shape phase transitions in nuclei as a function of temperature or excitation energy. However, in the finite nucleus the singularities of these phase transitions are smoothed out by quantal and thermal fluctuations. An interesting question is whether signatures of these transitions survive despite the large fluctuations. The shell model Monte Carlo (SMMC) approach enables us to calculate the statistical properties of nuclei beyond the mean-field approximation in model spaces that are many orders of magnitude larger than spaces that can be treated by conventional diagonalization methods. We have extended the SMMC method to heavy nuclei and used it to study the transition from vibrational (spherical) to rotational (deformed) nuclei in families of rare-earth isotopes. We have calculated collective enhancement factors of level densities as a function of excitation energy and found that the decay of the vibrational and rotational enhancements is well correlated with the pairing and shape phase transitions, respectively.
We study quantum phase transitions between spherical, prolate, and oblate nuclear ground-state shapes using the interacting sd\mathrm{sd}sd-boson model (sd(sd(sd-IBM) and demonstrate the analogy between the IBM results (also results of any axially symmetric quadrupole collective model) and predictions of the Landau theory of phase transitions in classical thermodynamics. A detailed comparison of the two frameworks is performed exploiting the concept of ``specific heat,'' introduced in four alternative ways in the quantum case. All these definitions (two of them based on spectroscopic features of the ground state, the others on a randomized version of the model) lead to similar peaked forms of the ``specific heat'' at the point of the quantum phase transition. We analyze the effect of an increasing boson number on these curves and observe convergence to the singular phase-transitional behavior in the classical limit. Other observable signatures of the IBM structural phase transitions are also discussed with the aim to facilitate the location of a particular nucleus in the parameter space (extended Casten triangle) near the transitions.
Signatures of criticality in the evolution of the nuclear ground-state shapes across the $N\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}Z$ plane are discussed. Attention is paid to specific data indicating sudden structural changes in various isotopic and isotonic chains of medium-mass and heavy even-even nuclei, as well as to diverse theoretical aspects of the models used to describe these changes. The interacting boson model and the geometric collective model, in particular, are discussed in detail, the former providing global predictions for the evolution of collective observables in nuclei between closed shells and the latter yielding a parameter-efficient description of nuclei at the critical points of shape transitions. Some issues related to the mechanism of first- and second-order quantum phase transitions in general many-body systems are also outlined.