Quantum interference terms in non-mesonic weak decay of Λ-hypernuclei within an RPA formalism Original Research Article

Single and double coincidence nucleon spectra in the Λ-hypernuclei weak decay are evaluated and discussed using a microscopic formalism. Nuclear matter is employed together with the local density approximation which allows us to analyze the 12ΛC hypernucleus non-mesonic weak decay. Final state interactions (FSI) are included via the first order (in the nuclear residual interaction) terms to the RPA, where the strong residual interaction is modelled by a Bonn potential. At this level of approximation, these FSI are pure quantum interference terms between the primary decay (ΛN→NN) and (ΛN→NN→NN), where the strong interaction is responsible for the last piece in the second reaction. Also the Pauli exchange contributions are explicitly evaluated. We show that the inclusion of Pauli exchange terms is important. A comparison with data is made. We conclude that the limitations in phase space in the RPA make this approximation inadequate to reproduce the nucleon spectra. This fact does not allow us to draw a definite conclusion about the importance of the interference terms.