In this work we have investigated a new method for looking at the existcncc of nuclear molecules. In a three-dimensional grid a static Hartrce-Fock solution is sought based on an initialization with cluster wave functions. These are generated from separate Hartree-Fock calculations. Any number of fragments can be placed in any geometric arrangement. After initialization the static iterations will lead either to the ground state of the compound system, if the fragments are placed too close together, or to a highly deformed state, if initialization is sufficiently close to such a configuration. The third alternative is that the fragments will drift further apart, if they are spaced too distantly. We find that the method appears to be very robust, in the sense that the convergence to a highly deformed state happens for a large number of the initial spacings. Varying the initial configuration systematically, therefore, seems to allow a good judgment on the existence of such exotic states.
Employing the Skyrme force SkI3 and in some cases also Sly6, the method was applied to a number of systems composed of 2 light nuclei, such as I6O or "C. a niinibcr of such states was identified and their properties are presented. In addition it was also attemptcd to use the method for searching for alpha-cluster states. While the chain of three alphaparticles as an excited state of 12C was easily found, we saw no ex-idencc for a triangular structure or for a tctrahcdral structure of l60.