Study of clustering states in neutron-rich nuclei with FARCOS detector

Clustering in atomic nuclei is a phenomenon for which nucleons of an excited nucleus can rearrange into more energetically stable sub-structures, leading to the formation of important deformation effects. In particular, clustering phenomena of α particles, held together by so called valence neutrons, is nowadays one of the most advanced research topics of modern heavy ion nuclear physics, able to explore the features of the nuclear forces and their effects. In this thesis, the topic of clustering will be addressed, first by discussing the theoretical aspects, considering particular exemplary cases and models, and then experimentally especially in the context of the research carried out at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) of the Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), and for the scientific program of the CHIRONE group. Furthermore, the primary object of the thesis will also regard the discussion of the results obtained from the data analysis of the CLIR (Clustering in Light ion Reactions) experiment, conducted at the LNS with the CHIMERA and FARCOS detectors. Therefore, the experimental apparatus employed will be discussed, starting from the FRIBs facility used to produce a radioactive beam containing various isotopes of interest, and the tagging system employed for the identification of the ions of the cocktail beam. Then, the experimental apparatus used to study projectile break-up reactions will be described, namely the 4π CHIMERA multidetector and the FARCOS array, detailing their main identification techniques and features. Finally, the results obtained for the analysis carried out will be discussed, starting from the calibration method used depending on the detector, and the results obtained for the study of the 10Be cluster break-up for the 4He+6He decay channel. Moreover, the analysis carried out on the FARCOS detector was of fundamental importance for this study, for which several techniques of data analysis, selection and calibration have been designed, to be used for further experiments. Finally, the conclusions will be shown, in particular indicating the future prospects of the CLIR experiment, the analysis of which will continue by increasing the statistics, refining the resolution of the experimental data, and evaluating the background.