DEFORMED SHELL CLOSURES FOR LIGHT ATOMIC CLUSTERS
The spheroidal shell model of the Nilsson type is used to describe the deformed states of atomic clusters. The Hamiltonian is analytically solved in cylindrical coordinates, where l2 term is treated as deformation-dependent. The usual asymptotic eigenfunctions are obtained for axially symmetric potentials without approximation, and the radial wave function usually employed for further computation is no longer needed. The energy levels obtained in such a way are used as input data for shell correction calculations. Minima due to shell effects are obtained as a function of the number of atoms in the atomic cluster as well as the δ-deformation-dependent. Calculations are performed for N up to 200, and spheroidally (oblate and prolate) deformed shell closures are predicted.