Renju Thomas

Suppression of complete fusion due to breakup in the reactions 10,11 B + 209 Bi

Above-barrier cross sections of fission and {alpha}-active heavy reaction products were measured for the reactions of {sup 10,11}B with {sup 209}Bi. Systematic analysis showed that the fission originates almost exclusively from complete fusion (CF). Existing measurements of above-barrier fusion products for the {sup 30}Si+{sup 186}W reaction, assumed to proceed exclusively through CF, were extrapolated to the current systems using statistical model calculations. This extrapolation showed that the heavy reaction products from the {sup 10,11}B+{sup 209}Bi reactions include substantial components from incomplete fusion as well as from CF. Compared with fusion calculations without breakup, the CF cross sections are suppressed by 15% for {sup 10}B and 7% for {sup 11}B. A consistent and systematic variation of the suppression of CF for reactions of the weakly bound nuclei {sup 6,7}Li, {sup 9}Be, and {sup 10,11}B on targets of {sup 208}Pb and {sup 209}Bi is found as a function of the breakup threshold energy.

Fission and quasi-fission: insights into heavy element formation reactions

Mass‐angle distributions carry detailed information on the characteristics of quasi‐fission, and thus of the dynamics of heavy element formation reactions. Recent experimental results are presented and discussed.

Two Distinct Quasifission Modes in the {sup 32}S+{sup 232}Th Reaction

Comprehensive fission measurements, including mass-angle distributions, for the reaction of 32S with the prolate deformed nucleus 232Th at near-barrier energies show two distinct components in both mass and angle; surprisingly, both have characteristics of quasifission. Their relative probabilities vary rapidly with the ratio of the beam energy to the capture barrier, suggesting a relationship with deformation aligned (sub-barrier), or antialigned (above-barrier), configurations at contact.