Molecular structure in deformed neutron-rich light nuclei

Nuclear clustering based on a-particles and strongly bound substructures wi th N = Z has been studied for many decades. Of particular interest are exci ted states close to the decay thresholds into substructures, as described b y the Ikeda diagram. This diagram can be extended to neutron-rich nuclei, i n these cases strongly deformed isomeric states consisting of clusters and losely bound neutrons will appear. A possible approach to describe these st ates is to use explicitly molecular concepts, with neutrons in covalent bin ding orbits. Examples for molecular structure in Beryllium isotopes and in other neutronrich light nuclei (Carbon and Neon) are discussed.