Characterization of nuclear sources via two-neutron intensity interferometry Original Research Article

The neutron energy spectrum and the two-neutron correlation function have been measured for the E/A=45 MeV Ni + Al reaction in order to assess the space-time characteristics of the neutron emitting source. When comparing the data to a statistical model, the kinetic energy spectra, the integrated correlation function as well as the longitudinal correlation function are reproduced by one single source. However, only the inclusion of a short-lived pre-equilibrium component can account for the stronger correlation exhibited by neutron pairs emitted with high total momentum. The correlation function from events defined as peripheral by constraints on the highest charge of the projectile-like fragment does show a significantly weaker correlation than the minimum bias sample.