Toward experimental determination of spin entanglement of multinucleons*

Multiprotons and multineutrons are among the most exotic and mysterious things ever produced on earth. They provide an exceptional opportunity to understand nuclear forces and nuclear dynamics at extreme conditions, as well as neutron stars in the heaven. Quantum entanglement, referred to as ``spooky action at a distance'' by Einstein, is a ubiquitous yet deep property of quantum systems. It not only occupies a central position in quantum information science but also is investigated intensively in high energy physics, condensed matter physics, and quantum gravity. In comparison, the study of nuclear entanglement is still in infancy, and the entanglement properties of multiprotons and multineutrons in free space are generally unknown. Here, we study the crucial problem of how to measure spin entanglement of these multinucleons in nuclear experiments, with special emphases on two- and three-nucleon states. These findings open a freshly new direction for the multinucleon research. They are also useful for understanding entanglement properties of other exotic nuclear objects.