Semiclassical Origin of Superdeformed Shell Structure in the Spheroidal Cavity Model

Classical periodic orbits responsible for emergence of the superdeformed shell structures for single-particle motions in spheroidal cavities are identified and their relative contributions to the shell structures are evaluated. Both prolate and oblate superdeformations (axis ratio about 2:1) as well as prolate hyperdeformation (axis ratio about 3:1) are investigated. Fourier transforms of quantum spectra clearly show that three-dimensional periodic orbits born out of bifurcations of planar orbits in the equatorial plane become predominant at large prolate deformations, while butterfly-shaped planar orbits bifurcated from linear orbits along the minor axis are important at large oblate deformations.