Two-particle transfer processes as a signature of shape phase transition in Zirconium isotopes

Abstract

We explore two-particle transfer reactions as a crucial probe of the occurrence of shape coexistence in shape phase transitions. The (t,p) reactions to the ground state and to excited 0+ states are calculated for the isotope chain of even-even Zirconium isotopes starting from stable nuclei up to beyond current experimental limits. Two-particle spectroscopic factors derived from Monte Carlo Shell Model calculations are used, together with the sequential description of the two-particle transfer reaction mechanism. The calculation shows a clear signature for a shape phase transition between 98Zr and 100Zr, which displays coexistence of a deformed ground state with an excited spherical 0+ state. Furthermore, we show that there is a qualitative difference with respect to the case of a normal shape phase transition that can be discriminated with two-neutron transfer reactions.