The search for the scaling function in the multifragmentation of gold nuclei

It is shown that thermodynamic scaling when applied to systems with few (similar to 150) constituents, in accordance with the theory of critical phenomena, is observed in nuclear multifragmentation. Yields of different nuclear fragments, obtained over a wide range of excitation energies, collapse with some scatter onto a universal curve. This curve is the nuclear scaling function, which is intimately related to the free energy of the system. The determination of the scaling function forms the basis for quantitatively predicting the critical behavior in nuclei. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.