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A new approach to the production and detection of bound neutron clusters is presented. The technique is based on the breakup of beams of very neutron-rich nuclei and the subsequent detection of the recoiling proton in a liquid scintillator. The method has been tested in the breakup of 11 Li, 14 Be and 15 B beams by a C target. Some 6 events were observed that exhibit the characteristics of a multineutron cluster liberated in the breakup of 14 Be, most probably in the channel 10 Be+ 4 n. The various backgrounds that may mimic such a signal are discussed in detail.

Mean square radii of light radioactive projectiles, including exotic isotopes close to the neutron drip line ("Li, 14Be, and 17B), have been deduced from total reaction cross-section measurements, using a simple microscopic model. The isospin dependence of nuclear radii is discussed and compared to other experimental results.