The vector analyzing power and differential cross-section for the elastic scattering of 8He
nucleus from polarized protons at 71MeV/nucleon have been analyzed in the framework
of the optical model potentials. Microscopic single folding (SF) optical potentials (OP)
have been constructed based upon two different effective nucleon–nucleon (NN) interactions,
namely Jeukenne–Lejeune–Mahaux (JLM) and BDM3Y1 effective interactions.
The effect of 8He nuclear structure has been tested through two different choices of
the nuclear density distribution. It is concluded that the nucleus 8He may be considered
as a thick skin exotic nucleus. In order to investigate the vector analyzing power
data, besides the Thomas phenomenological representation, three different forms of the
spin–orbit (SO) part of the OP have been considered. These forms are based directly or
indirectly upon the density distribution of 8He nucleus. It is found that SO potentials
of larger root mean square radii are able to successfully describe the vector analyzing
power data more than those of shorter radii.