Lithium moments:
11Li is one of the most extreme cases of nuclear structure that can be produced at ISAC. With a nuclear containing 8 neutrons and only 3 protons, it has long been known that the final 2 neutrons form a halo outside of a nuclear core. A collaboration between nuclear and condensed matter scientists at TRIUMF has developed a unique method with which to probe the distribution of charge within the nucleus with hitherto unachievable precision. This measurement, combining nuclear detection methods within a zero magnetic field nuclear quadrupole resonance spectrometer, showed that the 2 outer neutrons have very little influence on the shape of the nucleus’ core, instead causing it to oscillate around a common centre of mass.