3He charge structure revisited: Insights from Patterson function analysis

Using Patterson function analysis, this study reconstructs the charge distribution of helium-3 (³He) in a model-independent framework. The radial Patterson density remains strictly non-negative, implying that the intrinsic charge density is likewise positive throughout. A half-maximum radius of 0.267 fm is determined, establishing a stringent empirical upper bound on the spatial extent of ³He’s charge profile. This bound is markedly smaller than radii reported in prior theoretical and experimental investigations. Comparative evaluation shows that the ³He distribution exhibits close similarity to those of the deuteron and tritium, underscoring the effectiveness of Patterson methods in imaging light nuclei and advancing empirical nuclear structure studies.