59 research outputs found
Effects of Nuclear Structure on Quasi-fission
The quasi-fission mechanism hinders fusion of heavy systems because of a mass
flow between the reactants, leading to a re-separation of more symmetric
fragments in the exit channel. A good understanding of the competition between
fusion and quasi-fission mechanisms is expected to be of great help to optimize
the formation and study of heavy and superheavy nuclei. Quantum microscopic
models, such as the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach, allow for a treatment
of all degrees of freedom associated to the dynamics of each nucleon. This
provides a description of the complex reaction mechanisms, such as
quasi-fission, with no parameter adjusted on reaction mechanisms. In
particular, the role of the deformation and orientation of a heavy target, as
well as the entrance channel magicity and isospin are investigated with
theoretical and experimental approaches.Comment: Invited talk to NSRT12. To be published in Eur. Phys. J. Web of Con
Exploring Zeptosecond Quantum Equilibration Dynamics: From Deep-Inelastic to Fusion-Fission Outcomes in Ni+Ni Reactions
Energy dissipative processes play a key role in how quantum many-body systems
dynamically evolve towards equilibrium. In closed quantum systems, such
processes are attributed to the transfer of energy from collective motion to
single-particle degrees of freedom; however, the quantum many-body dynamics of
this evolutionary process are poorly understood. To explore energy dissipative
phenomena and equilibration dynamics in one such system, an experimental
investigation of deep-inelastic and fusion-fission outcomes in the
Ni+Ni reaction has been carried out. Experimental outcomes have
been compared to theoretical predictions using Time Dependent Hartree Fock and
Time Dependent Random Phase Approximation approaches, which respectively
incorporate one-body energy dissipation and fluctuations. Excellent
quantitative agreement has been found between experiment and calculations,
indicating that microscopic models incorporating one-body dissipation and
fluctuations provide a potential tool for exploring dissipation in low-energy
heavy ion collisions.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, including Supplemental Material -
Version accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
Reduced quasifission competition in fusion reactions forming neutron-rich heavy elements
Measurements of mass-angle distributions (MADs) for Cr + W reactions,
providing a wide range in the neutron-to-proton ratio of the compound system,
(N/Z)CN, have allowed for the dependence of quasifission on the (N/Z)CN to be
determined in a model-independent way. Previous experimental and theoretical
studies had produced conflicting conclusions. The experimental MADs reveal an
increase in contact time and mass evolution of the quasifission fragments with
increasing (N/Z)CN, which is indicative of an increase in the fusion
probability. The experimental results are in agreement with microscopic
time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculations of the quasifission process. The
experimental and theoretical results favor the use of the most neutron-rich
projectiles and targets for the production of heavy and superheavy nuclei.Comment: Accepted to PRC as a Rapid Communicatio
Sub-barrier quasifission in heavy element formation reactions with deformed actinide target nuclei
Background: The formation of superheavy elements (SHEs) by fusion of two massive nuclei is severely
inhibited by the competing quasifission process. Low excitation energies favor SHE survival against fusion-fission
competition. In âcoldâ fusion with spherical target nuclei near 208Pb, SHE yields are largest at beam energies
significantly below the average capture barrier. In âhotâ fusion with statically deformed actinide nuclei, this is not
the case. Here the elongated deformation-aligned configurations in sub-barrier capture reactions inhibits fusion
(formation of a compact compound nucleus), instead favoring rapid reseparation through quasifission.
Purpose: To determine the probabilities of fast and slow quasifission in reactions with prolate statically deformed
actinide nuclei, through measurement and quantitative analysis of the dependence of quasifission characteristics
at beam energies spanning the average capture barrier energy.
Methods: The Australian National University Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility and CUBE fission spectrometer
have been used to measure fission and quasifission mass and angle distributions for reactions with projectiles
from C to S, bombarding Th and U target nuclei.
Results: Mass-asymmetric quasifission occurring on a fast time scale, associated with collisions with the tips of
the prolate actinide nuclei, shows a rapid increase in probability with increasing projectile charge, the transition
being centered around projectile atomic number ZP = 14. For mass-symmetric fission events, deviations of
angular anisotropies from expectations for fusion fission, indicating a component of slower quasifission, suggest
a similar transition, but centered around ZP ⌠8.
Conclusions: Collisions with the tips of statically deformed prolate actinide nuclei show evidence for two distinct
quasifission processes of different time scales. Their probabilities both increase rapidly with the projectile charge.
The probability of fusion can be severely suppressed by these two quasifission processes, since the sub-barrier
heavy element yield is likely to be determined by the product of the probabilities of surviving each quasifission
process.The authors acknowledge support from ARC Grants
No. FL110100098, No. DP130101569, No. FT120100760, No.
DE140100784, No. DP140101337, No. DP160101254, and
No. DP170102318, and support by the Federal Government
NCRIS program for operations of the ANU Heavy Ion Accelerator
Facility
Examining the role of transfer coupling in sub-barrier fusion of âŽâ¶,â”â°Ti+ÂčÂČâŽSn
Background: The presence of neutron transfer channels with positive Q values can enhance sub-barrier fusion
cross sections. Recent measurements of the fusion excitation functions for 58Ni +132,124Sn found that the fusion
enhancement due to the influence of neutron transfer is smaller than that in 40Ca +132,124Sn although the Q values
for multineutron transfer are comparable.
Purpose: To investigate the differences observed between the fusion of Sn + Ni and Sn + Ca.
Methods: Fusion excitation functions for 46,50Ti +124Sn have been measured at energies near the Coulomb barrier.
Results: A comparison of the barrier distributions for 46Ti +124Sn and 40Ca +124Sn shows that the 40Ca +124Sn
system has a barrier strength resulting from the coupling to the very collective octupole state in 40Ca at an energy
significantly lower than the uncoupled barrier.
Conclusions: The large sub-barrier fusion enhancement in 40Ca induced reactions is attributed to both couplings
to neutron transfer and inelastic excitation, with the octupole vibration of 40Ca playing a major role.Research at ANU was supported by the Australian Research Council Grants DP130101569, FT120100760, DP140101337,
FL110100098, DE140100784 and by National Collaborative
Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) for the operation of
the Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility
Effects of nuclear structure on quasi-fission
The quasi-fission mechanism hinders fusion of heavy systems because of a mass flow between the reactants, leading to a re-separation of more symmetric fragments in the exit channel. A good understanding of the competition between fusion and quasi-fission mechanisms is expected to be of great help to optimize the formation and study of heavy and superheavy nuclei. Quantum microscopic models, such as the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach, allow for a treatment of all degrees of freedom associated to the dynamics of each nucleon. This provides a description of the complex reaction mechanisms, such as quasi-fission, with no parameter adjusted on reaction mechanisms. In particular, the role of the deformation and orientation of a heavy target, as well as the entrance channel magicity and isospin are investigated with theoretical and experimental approaches
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