An understanding of the properties of the dineutron and the deuteron in terms of quantum wave function interference

The recently reported evidence for the existence of an unstable state of the dineutron has raised again the issues associated with this particle and with the related deuteron. For the dineutron there is the question of why it has no stable ground state, while for the deuteron the magnetic and electr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysics letters. A Vol. 376; no. 37; pp. 2533 - 2537
Main Authors Deeney, F.A., OʼLeary, J.P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 30.07.2012
Subjects
Deuteron
Dineutron
Quantum interference
Dineutron
Deuteron
Quantum interference
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Summary:The recently reported evidence for the existence of an unstable state of the dineutron has raised again the issues associated with this particle and with the related deuteron. For the dineutron there is the question of why it has no stable ground state, while for the deuteron the magnetic and electric properties are unusual. In this Letter we show how it is possible to explain these effects in a simple way, using only considerations of interference between the wave functions of two spin 1/2 particles in the same energy state. ► We investigate the interference between the wave functions of two spin half particles. ► We show how the interference predicts a spin of ℏ for the ground state of the dineutron. ► Applying the theory to the deuteron shows that its spin is tilted slighted from that of the dineutron. ► The tilted spin shows the presence of an additional spin component normal to the principal one. ► The unusual features of the deuteron properties are simply explained by the theory.
ISSN:0375-9601
1873-2429
DOI:10.1016/j.physleta.2012.06.036