Excited state of the α particle: A benchmark study

A benchmark study is performed for the excited state of ⁴He. When the Coulomb interaction is switched off, the ⁴He nucleus exhibits a bound excited state in the vicinity of p-³H threshold. As the Coulomb interaction is gradually introduced, the excited state crosses the threshold and eventually becomes a resonant state. Using three numerical methods, we track the evolution of this excited state and determine the resonance energy and width. Comparisons of the theoretical predictions reveal a significant discrepancy with commonly used R-matrix values based on the analysis of the experimental data. We explain the origin for this discrepancy. Additionally, the two-level energy spectrum of ⁴He in the absence of the Coulomb force exhibits characteristics linked to Efimov physics, suggesting a reduced sensitivity to interaction details.