PH8103 Presentation 5
PH8103 Presentation 5
PH8103 Presentation 5
−V0
V(r) = r−R
(1)
1+e a
Fig. 1:
Nuclear Shell Model (Independent Particle Model)
Valid generally for A < 150 and 190 < A < 220.
• The square well has an infinitely sharp edge whereas the
harmonic oscillator potential diminishes steadily at the edge. The
nuclear potential is expected to be in between these two
extremes and we desire to arrive at the correct single-particle
quantum states by interpolating between these two. Such a
potential intermediate between the two and also having an
experimental basis is the Woods-Saxon potential (obtained by
fitting the data on nucleon-nucleus scattering).
• This potential is flat at the centre and falls off smoothly to zero at
the edge of the nucleus.
There is evidence which suggests that nuclei with certain numbers
of n & p are particularly stable.
1 1
⟨ ⟩ 2
l ⃗. s ⃗ = l for j=l+
2
1 1
= − (l + 1) for j=l− (3)
2 2
Special features of magic nuclei
15 17
Ex.: Consider the filling of levels needed to produce 8 O and 8 O.
15
* In O, the unpaired n is in p1/2 shell ⟹ prediction that its ground
state has spin 1/2 and odd parity.
(l1+l2)
Parity = (−1) , where l1 and l2 are the orbital angular
momenta of the unpaired p & n respectively.
• Most of the excited states decay so rapidly that their lifetimes
cannot be measured. There are some excited states which are
metastable because they cannot decay without violating the
selection rules. These excited states are known as isomers and
their lifetimes can be measured.
• The shell model predicts that all even-even nuclei will have 0+
(spin 0, even parity) ground states, because all of the nucleons are
paired.
• The calculated levels of the nuclear shell model are based on the
assumption that the nuclear potential is spherical. In the spherical
case, the energy levels of each single particle state have a
degeneracy of (2j + 1).
The Collective Nuclear Model
1. Rotational states
A nucleus whose nucleon density distributions are specially
symmetric cannot have rotational excitations.
Q. Based on shell model, find the ground state spin and parity of
the nuclei 3Li 7 and 19K 39.