Shape ofAr44: Onset of deformation in neutron-rich nuclei nearCa48

Abstract

The development of deformation and shape coexistence in the vicinity of doubly magic $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$, related to the weakening of the $N=28$ shell closure, was addressed in a low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment using a radioactive $^{44}\mathrm{Ar}$ beam from the SPIRAL facility at GANIL. The ${2}_{1}^{+}$ and ${2}_{2}^{+}$ states in $^{44}\mathrm{Ar}$ were excited on $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{109}\mathrm{Ag}$ targets at two different beam energies. $B(E2)$ values between all observed states and the spectroscopic quadrupole moment of the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ state were extracted from the differential Coulomb excitation cross sections, indicating a prolate shape of the $^{44}\mathrm{Ar}$ nucleus and giving evidence of an onset of deformation already two protons and two neutrons away from doubly magic $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$. New Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov based configuration mixing calculations have been performed with the Gogny D1S interaction for $^{44}\mathrm{Ar}$ and neighboring nuclei using two different approaches: the angular momentum projected generator coordinate method considering axial quadrupole deformations and a five-dimensional approach including the triaxial degree of freedom. The experimental values and new calculations are furthermore compared to shell-model calculations and to relativistic mean-field calculations. The new results give insight into the weakening of the $N=28$ shell closure and the development of deformation in this neutron-rich region of the nuclear chart.