ANGULAR-MOMENTUM STABILITY OF SMALL ATOMIC CLUSTERS

The limits of stability of small atomic clusters with angular momentum are investigated as a function of the size and charge of the aggregat es. Critical angular momenta are obtained in a di-cluster picture from the balance of a cohesive surface-surface interaction and the disrupt ive centrifugal and electric interactions. The calculation scheme inco rporates the mass and charge asymmetry degrees of freedom and it is th us particularly suited to explore cluster-cluster reaction processes. Deformation of the fragments is taken into account.