PAIRING EFFECTS IN METAL-CLUSTERS

Motivated by the experimental finding of odd-even alternations in the mass spectra and ionization potentials of metal clusters, we have investigated the possibility of interpreting these results as evidence for pairing correlations among the electrons. For the present exploratory calculations, we have used a spherical BCS model which we have applied, as an example, to some Al clusters. Additional model calculations have been carried out for Na(N) with 34 < N < 100 in order to illustrate a possible systematics.