Unveiling the Molecule-Like Structure of Nuclear Ground State
Physicists from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered a molecular-type structure in the ground state of atomic nuclei. Using a novel experimental method, they validated the presence of a molecular-type structure in the ground state of beryllium-10, a neutron-rich nucleus. The experimental results support the long-standing hypothesis of a molecular-state structure in beryllium-10's ground state, suggesting the formation of an α–α dumbbell-shaped core with two valence neutrons rotating perpendicular to the core axis. This study provides the first experimental evidence for the theoretical description of molecular-state structures in atomic nuclei's ground state.