Quartetting in Fermionic Matter and Alpha-Particle Condensation in Nuclear Systems

Abstract

Quantum condensates in nuclear matter are treated beyond the mean-field approximation, with the inclusion of cluster formation. The occurrence of a separate binding pole in the four-particle propagator in nuclear matter is investigated with respect to the formation of a condensate of α-like particles (quartetting), which is dependent on temperature and density. Due to Pauli blocking, the formation of an α-like condensate is limited to the low-density region. Consequences for finite nuclei are considered. In particular, excitations of self-conjugate 2n-Z–2n-N nuclei near the n-α-breakup threshold are candidates for quartetting. We review some results and discuss their consequences. Exploratory calculations are performed for the density dependence of the α condensate fraction at zero temperature to address the suppression of the four-particle condensate below nuclear-matter density.