Anatomy of molecular structures in 20 Ne

Abstract We present a beyond mean-field study of clusters and molecular structures in low-spin states of 20 Ne with a multireference relativistic energy density functional, where the dynamical correlation effects of symmetry restoration and quadrupole–octupole shapes fluctuation are taken into account with projections on parity, particle number and angular momentum in the framework of the generator coordinate method. Both the energy spectrum and the electric multipole transition strengths for low-lying parity-doublet bands are better reproduced after taking into account the dynamical octupole vibration effect. Consistent with the finding in previous studies, a rotation-induced dissolution of the α + O 16 molecular structure in 20 Ne is predicted.