The dominance of the $\nu(0d_{5/2})^2$ configuration in the $N=8$ shell in $^{12}$Be from the breakup reaction on a proton target at intermediate energy

Abstract

The momentum distribution of $^{11}$Be fragments produced by the breakup of $^{12}$Be interacting with a proton target at 700.5 MeV/$u$ energy has been measured at GSI Darmstadt. To obtain the structure information on the anomaly of the $N=8$ neutron shell, the momentum distribution of $^{11}$Be fragments from the one-neutron knockout $^{12}$Be(p,pn) reaction, measured in inverse kinematics, has been analysed in the distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA) based on a quasi-free scattering scenario. The DWIA analysis shows a surprisingly strong contribution of the neutron $0d_{5/2}$ orbital in $^{12}$Be to the transverse momentum distribution of the $^{11}$Be fragments. The single-neutron $0d_{5/2}$ spectroscopic factor deduced from the present knock-out data is 1.39(10), which is significantly larger than that deduced recently from data of $^{12}$Be breakup on a carbon target. This result provides a strong experimental evidence for the dominance of the neutron $\nu(0d_{5/2})^2$ configuration in the ground state of $^{12}$Be.