arXiv subjects

Junhuai Xu

Publications and source records attributed to Junhuai Xu.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Experimental Study of Bremsstrahlung Gamma Ray Emission and Short-Range Correlations in $^{124}$Sn+$^{124}$Sn Collisions at 25 MeV/u

Short-range correlation (SRC) in nuclei refers to nucleons forming temporally correlated pairs in close proximity, giving rise to the high momentum of the nucleons beyond the Fermi surface. It has been reported that bremsstrahlung $γ$ production from neutron-proton process in heavy-ion reactions provides a potential probe to the SRC abundance in nuclei. In this paper, we present in detail the precision measurement of bremsstrahlung $γ$-rays in $\rm ^{124}Sn$+$\rm ^{124}Sn$ reactions at 25 MeV/u using the Compact Spectrometer for Heavy IoN Experiment (CSHINE). A comprehensive experimental and analysis framework is established to ensure the reliability and robustness of the extracted results. Background contributions are evaluated and subtracted using independent methods, and the consistency of the analysis is systematically validated. By comparing the experimental $γ$ spectrum with the Isospin-dependent Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck simulations, the high momentum tail (HMT) fraction of $R_{\rm HMT}=(20 \pm 3)\%$ is derived in $^{124}$Sn nuclei. This work provides a detailed and validated experimental framework for extracting SRC information from bremsstrahlung $γ$-ray emission and demonstrates the feasibility of studying nucleon SRCs with high precision in low-energy heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2025

Probing the Three-dimension Emission Source and Neutron Skin via $π$-$π$ Correlations in Heavy-Ion Collisions

The Richardson-Lucy algorithm is applied to reconstruct the three-dimensional source function of identical pions from their two-particle correlation functions. The algorithm's performance is first evaluated through simulations with Gaussian-type initial source functions. Its imaging quality and robustness are further demonstrated with experimental data from Au+Au collisions at 1.23 A GeV, collected by the HADES Collaboration. Additionally, using UrQMD simulations of Pb+Pb collisions at 1.5 A GeV, we show that the deblurred source functions exhibit sensitivity to the initial neutron skin thickness of the colliding nuclei. This highlights the potential of the Richardson-Lucy algorithm as a tool for probing the neutron density distribution in heavy nuclei.

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arXiv2025

Unlocking the initial neutron density distribution from the two-pion HBT correlation function in heavy-ion collisions

Revealing the neutron density distribution in the nucleus is one of the crucial tasks of nuclear physics. Within the framework of the ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamic model followed by a correlation afterburner program, we investigate the effects of the initial neutron density distribution on the charged-pion yield ratio $π^{-}/π^{+}$, the two-pion momentum correlation function, and the emission source dimension. It is found that the $π^{-}/π^{+}$ ratio is sensitive to the initial neutron density distribution and the impact parameter, especially for collisions at large impact parameter. However, the charge splitting in the correlation functions between positively $π^{+}π^{+}$ and negatively $π^{-}π^{-}$, as well as the source radii and volumes extracted exhibit a stronger dependence on the initial neutron density distribution, but a weaker dependence on the impact parameter. The present study highlights that $π^{+}π^{+}$ and $π^{-}π^{-}$ correlation functions in heavy-ion collisions could be used to probe the initial neutron density distribution of nuclei.

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arXiv2025

Precise Measurement of Short-Range Correlations in Nuclei from Bremsstrahlung Gamma Ray Emission in Low-Energy Heavy-Ion Collisions

Atomic nuclei and dense nucleonic matter in neutron stars exhibit short-range correlations (SRCs), where nucleons form temporally correlated pairs in proximity beyond mean-field approximation. It is essential to make precision measurement of the fraction of SRC since it carries the signature of underlying quark dynamics in nuclear medium. In this letter, we present the first high-precision measurement of neutron-proton bremsstrahlung $γ$-ray emission from the symmetric $\rm ^{124}Sn$+$\rm ^{124}Sn$ reactions at 25 MeV/u. From the observed spectral hardening, the precise SRC fraction in the $\rm ^{124}Sn$ nucleus is extracted to be $(20 \pm 3)\%$. This result provides a novel, direct and unambiguous evidence of SRCs, and demonstrates that low-energy heavy-ion collisions offers a new approach to studying nuclear structure in connection with quark-level dynamics.

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arXiv2025

Linear Response of CsI(Tl) Crystal to Energetic Photons below 20 MeV

The linear response of CsI(Tl) crystals to $γ$-rays plays a crucial role in their calibration, as any deviation from linearity can introduce systematic errors not negligible in the measurement of $γ$ energy spectra, particularly at high energies. In this study, the responses of CsI(Tl) crystals to high-energy photons up to 20 MeV are investigated using quasi monochromatic $γ$ beam provided by the Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source. The spectra are folded using a detector filter implemented by Geant4. Both quadratic and linear fits to six energy points are used to assess the linearity of the CsI(Tl) detector. The results demonstrate that the difference between the linear and non-linear fits is at the level of 4\%. Applying these findings to the $γ$ hodoscope of the Compact Spectrometer for Heavy Ion Experiment (CSHINE), the potential systematic uncertainties caused by CsI(Tl) non-linearity are evaluated. This work provides a comprehensive calibration methodology for employing CsI(Tl) crystal to detect high energy $γ$-rays.

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arXiv2025

Imaging Freeze-out Sources and Extracting Strong Interaction Parameters in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

By combining femtoscopic interferometry with an optical deblurring algorithm, we present a novel method to image the source in heavy-ion collisions (HICs) while simultaneously determining the interaction strength between particle pairs. The spatial distribution of the emission source has been reconstructed for protons ($p$) and antiprotons ($\bar{p}$) from the respective $pp$ and $\bar{p}\bar{p}$ correlation functions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{S_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Within experimental uncertainties, protons and antiprotons share the same freeze-out distribution showing higher density in the center compared to the widely assumed Gaussian shape. The results evidence the matter-antimatter symmetry in coordinate space at the moment of freeze-out before the nucleons are fully randomized in the collisions.

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arXiv2025

Extract neutron-neutron interaction strength and spatial-temporal dynamics of neutron emission from two-particle correlation function

The neutron-neutron ($nn$) correlation function has been measured in 25 MeV/u $^{124}$Sn+$^{124}$Sn reactions. Using the Lednický-Lyuboshitz approach, the $nn$ scattering length and effective range ($f_{0}^{nn}$, $d_{0}^{nn}$), as well as the reduced space-time size $R^{(0)}$ of the neutron emission source are simultaneously extracted as ($18.9^{+1.3}_{-1.2}$ fm, $1.9^{+1.3}_{-1.0}$ fm) and $4.12 \pm 0.12$ fm, respectively. The measured $nn$ scattering length is consistent with the results obtained in the low-energy scattering $^{2}{\rm H}(π^{-},γ)2n$, indicating heavy-ion collisions can serve as an effective approach for measuring $nn$ interactions and further investigating the charge symmetry breaking of nuclear force. The space-time size extracted from momentum-gated correlation functions exhibits clear dependence on the pair momentum, with $R^{(0)}=2.8 \pm 0.1 $ fm and $4.9 \pm 0.2$ fm being determined for the high and low momentum neutrons, respectively.

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arXiv2024

The neutron array of the compact spectrometer for heavy ion experiments in Fermi energy region

The emission of neutrons from heavy ion reactions is an important observable for studying the asymmetric nuclear equation of state and the reaction dynamics. A 20-unit neutron array has been developed and mounted on the compact spectrometer for heavy ion experiments (CSHINE) to measure the neutron spectra, neutron-neutron and neutron-proton correlation functions. Each unit consists of a $\rm 15\times 15\times 15~cm^3$ plastic scintillator coupled to a $ ϕ=52 ~\rm mm$ photomultiplier. The Geant4 simulation with optical process is performed to investigate the time resolution and the neutron detection efficiency. The inherent time resolution of 212 ps is obtained by cosmic ray coincidence test. The n-$γ$ discrimination and time-of-flight performance are given by $\rm ^{252}Cf$ radioactive source test and beam test. The neutron energy spectra have been obtained in the angle range $30^\circ \le θ_{\rm lab} \le 51^\circ$ in the beam experiment of $^{124}$Sn+$^{124}$Sn at 25 MeV/u with CSHINE.

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