<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>α</mml:mi></mml:math>-particle condensation: A nuclear quantum phase transition

Abstract

When the density of a nuclear system is decreased, homogeneous states undergo the so-called Mott transition towards clusterized states, e.g., $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ clustering, both in nuclei and in nuclear matter. Here we investigate such a quantum phase transition (QPT) by using microscopic energy density functional calculations with with the relativistic and the Gogny approaches on the diluted $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ nucleus. The evolution of the corresponding single-particle spectrum under dilution is studied, and a Mott-like transition is predicted at about 1/3 of the saturation density. A complementary study of quartet condensation and the corresponding macroscopic QPT is undertaken in infinite matter.