Valence pairing, core deformation and the development of two-neutron halos

Abstract We explore the evolution of the structure of the ground state of a nucleus with two valence nucleons as the system approaches the two particle threshold. We use a three-body model of core + n + n where the core is deformed and allowed to excite. We find that both NN correlations and correlations due to deformation/excitation of the core inhibit the formation of halos. Our results suggest that it is unlikely to find halo nuclei on the dripline of deformed nuclei.