Structural evolution and shape transition in even-even Hf-isotopes within the relativistic mean-field approach

Abstract

In this theoretical study, we calculate the ground state parameters like binding energy, charge radii, neutron skin-thickness, chemical potentials, quadrupole deformation parameter, neutron separation energy, and single-particle energy for Hf isotopes of mass 170 ⩽ A ⩽ 220. The potential energy surface in parallel with the Fermi energy as a function of the quadrupole deformation parameter is estimated to determine the ground state configuration. The Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov approach with density-dependent DD-ME2 and the relativistic mean-field formalism with the popular NL3 and NL3⁎ parameter sets are used for the present analysis. The study involves a constant gap BCS approach within NL3, & NL3⁎ and Bogoliubov transformation within DD-ME2 parameter sets to examine the effect of pairing correlations. The calculated bulk quantities are reasonably good agreement with available experimental data, the finite range droplet model predictions, and the Weizsäcker-Skyrme mass formula. We find the signature of shell/sub-shell closure at N = 126 for all the parameter sets, which indicates the stability of 198Hf in the neutron drip-line region of the Hf-isotopes.