B.Tech.
Physics
Today's Topic
Shell Model
Dr. A. Chandra Bose
Department of Physics
National Institute of Technology
Trichy
Nuclear Shell Model
Mayer & Jenson – 1949 - proposed Shell Model
Discrete energy levels for nucleons (similar to electron
shell in an atom)
The protons and neutrons are grouped into shells in the
nucleus
The shells are “filled” when they contain a specific
number of protons or neutrons or both
The number of nucleons in each shell is limited by Pauli’s
exclusion principle
5
Suitable Average Potential :
Harmonic oscillator???
Square-well –????
impenetrable surface
Woods-Saxon potential????
Woods-Saxon potential for proton???
8
Fundamental Quantum Numbers
• n - principal Two coupling modes exist:
• s - spin (1/2) LS coupling
• l - orbital jj coupling
• j - total angular momentum (l s)
• The total angular momentum is = [ j( j +1)]1/2 ћ
Spin-orbit coupling
• interaction between the orbital angular momentum and
spin angular momentum L-S
• Pauli exclusion principle prohibits more than two protons
or neutrons from occupying the same orbit (protons and
neutrons are fermions) 9
Points to Remember:
• l can only have positive integral values (including 0)
• j can only have positive values
• J=ls
• allowed values of J are half-integers
J = 1/2, 3/2, 5/2, 7/2…
• when l = 0, only j=1/2 is allowed
• Degeneracy = 2j+1
16
Dr. J. Hemalatha/Physics/NITT 17
State n l J States with LS Degeneracy Shell No of Total no of
without LS coupling 2j+1 protons/ protons /
neutrons neutrons
1h 1 5 9/2 1h9/2 10
11/2 1h11/2 12
3s 3 0 1/2 3s1/2 2 VI 32 82
2d 2 2 5/2 2d5/2 6
3/2 2d3/2 4
1g 1 4 7/2 1g7/2 8
9/2 1g9/2 10
2p 2 1 3/2 2p3/2 4 V 22 50
1/2 2p1/2 2
5/2 1f5/2 6
1f 1 3 7/2 1f7/2 8 IV 8 28
2s 2 0 1/2 2s1/2 2
1d 1 2 5/2 1d5/2 6 III 12 20
3/2 1d3/2 4
1p 1 1 3/2, 1p3/2 4 II 6 8
1/2 1p1/2 2 18
1s 1 0 1/2 1s - I 2 2
19
20
21
22
Protons and neutrons move in two separate systems of orbits
24
Merits & Demerits of Shell Model:
Merits:
• Could explain magic number
• Spin and parities
• Binding energy
• Magnetic dipole moment of nuclei
• Transition of nucleons- emission of gamma ray
Demerits:
• Could not explain quadrupole moment
• Ignores the collective motion of several nucleons
• Validity limited to light nuclei 25