We show the importance of the tensor correlation on the structures of He and Li isotopes. We develop the tensor optimized shell model (TOSM) to describe the strong tensor correlation of the nuclear force in nuclei. We investigate the exotic structures of 9,10,11Li based on the 9Li+n+n model where TOSM is used for 9Li. The coupling between the tensor correlation in 9Li and the extra two neutrons emerges Pauli-blocking, which increases the s2 component and develops the halo structure in 11Li.
We further treat the short range repulsion of the nuclear force by the unitary correlation operator method (UCOM), while the tensor correlation is described by TOSM. We propose a new approach of TOSM+UCOM to describe nuclei from the nuclear force.