Light clusters production as a probe to nuclear symmetry energy

Abstract

Using an isospin-dependent transport model for heavy-ion collisions induced by neutron-rich nuclei at intermediate energies, we study the production of light clusters such as deuteron, triton, and 3He via coalescence of nucleons. We find that both the yields and the energy spectra of these light clusters are affected significantly by the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy, with a stiffer symmetry energy giving a larger yield.