Fusion and quasifission studies for the Ca 40 + W 186, Os 192 reactions

Abstract

Background: All elements above atomic number 113 have been synthesized using hot fusion reactions with calcium beams on statically deformed actinide target nuclei. Quasifission and fusion-fission are the two major mechanisms responsible for the very low production cross sections of superheavy elements.

Purpose: To achieve a quantitative measurement of capture and quasifission characteristics as a function of beam energy in reactions forming heavy compound systems using calcium beams as projectiles.

Methods: Fission fragment mass-angle distributions were measured for the two reactions 40Ca+186W and 40C+192Os, populating 226Pu and 232Cm compound nuclei, respectively, using the Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility and CUBE spectrometer at the Australian National University. Mass ratio distributions, angular distributions, and total fission cross sections were obtained from the experimental data. Simulations to match the features of the experimental mass-angle distributions were performed using a classical phenomenological approach.

Results: Both 40Ca+186W and 40C+192Os reactions show strong mass-angle correlations at all energies measured. A maximum fusion probability of 60−70% is estimated for the two reactions in the energy range of the present study. Coupled-channels calculations assuming standard Woods-Saxon potential parameters overpredict the capture cross sections. Large nuclear potential diffuseness parameters ∼1.5 fm are required to fit the total capture cross sections. The presence of a weak mass-asymmetric quasifission component attributed to the higher angular momentum events can be reproduced with a shorter average sticking time but longer mass-equilibration time constant.

Conclusions: The deduced above-barrier capture cross sections suggest that the dissipative processes are already occurring outside the capture barrier. The mass-angle correlations indicate that a compact shape is not achieved for deformation aligned collisions with lower capture barriers. The average sticking time of fast quasifission events is 10−20 s.