Similarities and differences between atomic nuclei and clusters

Abstract

The nucleus is a Fermi-liquid; it does not crystallize, even at zero temperature. To a first approximation, the nucleons can be thought of as delocalised and independent fermions, moving in a self-consistent, common potential. In simple metals and in clusters of simple metals the electrons also appear to be free and independent, confined only by the repulsive potential wall at the surface. This gives rise to analogies between atomic nuclei and metal clusters. In general, however, the electronic structure encountered in molecules and non-metallic materials is much richer and more complicated than that of a homogeneous Fermi-liquid. In this more general case, there is no analogy to nuclei.