Alpha-alpha potential

The alpha-alpha interaction is described by a two body potential. It is shown that there is a two body potential of the Woods-Saxon form which gives correctly the energy and the decay width of the ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$ ground state and also the phase shifts for $L=0, 2, 4, \mathrm{and} 6$. The wave function representing the alpha particles in the ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$ ground state has radial quantum number equal to three.