Searching for Li4¯ via the momentum-correlation function of p¯−He3¯

Abstract

The heaviest observed antinucleus to date is $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{He}}$ which was detected at the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. From previous scattering experiments, we know that the $^{4}\mathrm{Li}$ has a very short lifetime, about $1.197\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}22}\phantom{\rule{4.pt}{0ex}}\text{s}$, and can decay into proton and $^{3}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{e}$. In experiments, the correlation function of $\overline{\mathrm{p}}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\overline{^{3}\mathrm{He}}$ provides us a method to observe $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{Li}}$. In this paper we use the blast-wave model and the Lednick\'y-Lyuboshitz analytical model to obtain a prediction of the correlation function of $\overline{\mathrm{p}}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\overline{^{3}\mathrm{He}}$ with and without $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{Li}}$ decay in Au $+$ Au collisions at $\sqrt{{S}_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. The magnitude of event number needed to detect $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{Li}}$ experimentally is estimated from the error of the correlation function. The correlation function with $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{Li}}$ decay is found to exhibit a peak at ${k}^{*}\ensuremath{\approx}$ 0.073 GeV/c. The results offer a reference for the experimental search for $\overline{^{4}\mathrm{Li}}$ in relativistic heavy-ion collisions.