Monte Carlo Calculation of the Ground and Excited State Structures of ⁴He Clusters

Abstract

The study of Helium clusters is interesting from many perspectives. A current theme is to understand the emergence of bulk physical properties from finite systems, e.g., the onset of superfluidity as a function of cluster size. Another theme, inherited from nuclear physics, is to understand the extent to which bulk properties can be inferred from that of a finite system, e.g., the relation between bulk liquid compressibility and the cluster giant resonance energies. Finally, Helium clusters are unique bosonic, but fully quantum, finite systems. Because of the simplicity of the ⁴He-⁴He potential, these clusters provide an exceptionally clean laboratory for the study of intrinsic many-body effects unhampered by the complexity of the interaction. The scattering of neutron off ⁴He clusters would provide a unique opportunity of directly confronting experimental data with first-principle calculations.