The angular momentum projected generator coordinate method using the quadrupole moment as a collective coordinate and the Gogny force as the effective interaction is used to describe the properties of the ground and low-lying excited states of the neutron rich light nuclei ^32,34,36Si. It is found that the ground state of the nucleus ³⁴Si is spherical. However, this is not due only to the N=20 shell closure, since the ground state of ³⁴Si contains a significant amount of the intruder f_7/2 neutron orbital. A rather good agreement with experimental data for many observables is obtained.

PACS numbers: 21.60.Jz, 21.60.--n, 21.10.Re, 21.10.Ky