Narrow Results

The effect of the particle-number symmetry restoration on the root mean square (rms) proton and neutron radii of neutron-deficient nuclei is studied in the isovector pairing case. As a first step, an expression of the nuclear radii which includes the neutron–proton pairing effects and which strictly conserves the particle-number has been established using the SBCS (Sharp BCS) method. It is shown that this expression generalizes the one obtained in the pairing between like-particles case. As a second step, the proton and neutron rms radii are numerically evaluated for even–even nuclei such as 16⩽Z⩽56 and 0⩽(N-Z)⩽4 using the single-particle energies of a Woods–Saxon mean-field. The results are compared with experimental data when available and with the results obtained when one considers only the pairing between like-particles.