Re: Why can't two neutrons form a bound-state?

Date: Fri Sep 24 20:20:59 1999
Posted By: Shella Keilholz-George, Grad student, Engineering Physics, University of Virginia
Area of science: Physics
ID: 937936209.Ph

Message:


It has to do with symmetry.  For a deuteron, j=1 and s=0 or 1.  The states 
that correspond to these numbers are as follows:
s=1   l=0    3S1
      l=1    3P1
      l=2    3D1
s=0   l=1    1P1
Of these states, 3S1 and 3D1 are even and the others are odd.  Only the 
even states allow binding in the deuteron.  Two neutrons (or two protons 
for that matter) cannot be in the even (symmetric) state because they are 
identical particles.  
For more information, consult Nuclear and Particle Physics by W.S.C. 
Williams, Section 9.8.

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