SHAPES OF HE-3 CLUSTERS

Triaxial deformations are considered for determining the binding energ ies of open-shell, unpolarized He-3(N) clusters. The shapes of He-3 cl usters are found to be close to spherical, in contrast to the well-def ormed shapes of alkali-metal clusters. As a result, odd-even alternati ons and subshell closures between major shells are absent in the size evolution of the chemical potentials, and the second-energy difference s associated with He-3(N) clusters.