• R K Biju

Articles written in Pramana – Journal of Physics

• Cold valleys in the radioactive decay of 248-254Cf isotopes

Based on the concept of cold valley in cold fission and fusion, we have investigated the cluster decay process in 248-254Cf isotopes. In addition to alpha particle minima, other deep minima occur for S, Ar and Ca clusters. It is found that inclusion of proximity potential does not change the position of minima but minima become deeper. Taking Coulomb and proximity potential as interacting barrier for post-scission region, we computed half-lives and other characteristics for various clusters from these parents. Our study reveals that these parents are stable against light clusters and unstable against heavy clusters. Computed half-lives for alpha decay agree with experimental values within two orders of magnitude. The most probable clusters from these parents are predicted to be 46Ar, 48,50Ca which indicate the role of doubly or near doubly magic clusters in cluster radioactivity. Odd A clusters are found to be favorable for emission from odd A parents. Cluster decay model is extended to symmetric region and it is found that symmetric fission is also probable which stresses the role of doubly or near doubly magic 132Sn nuclei. Geiger-Nuttal plots were studied for various clusters and are found to be linear with varying slopes and intercepts.

• Neutron and proton shell closure in the superheavy region via cluster radioactivity in 280−314 116 isotopes

Based on the concept of cold valley in fission and fusion, the radioactive decay of superheavy280−314116 nuclei was studied taking Coulomb and proximity potentials as the interacting barrier. It is found that the inclusion of proximity potential does not change the position of minima but minima become deeper which agrees with the earlier findings of Gupta and co-workers. In addition to alpha particle minima, the other deepest minima occur for 8Be, 12,14C clusters. In the fission region two deep regions are found each consisting of several comparable minima, the first region centred on 208Pb and the second is around 132Sn. The cluster decay half-lives and other characteristics are computed for various clusters ranging from alpha particle to 70Ni. The computed half-lives for alpha decay match with the experimental values and with the values calculated using Viola–Seaborg–Sobiczewski (VSS) systematic. The plots connecting computed 𝑄 values and half-lives against neutron number of daughter nuclei were studied for different clusters and it is found that the next neutron shell closures occur at $N$ = 162, 172 and 184. Isotopic and isobaric mass parabolas are studied for various cluster emissions and minima of parabola indicate neutron shell closure at $N$ = 162, 184 and proton shell closure at $Z$ = 114. Our study shows that $^{276}_{162}$114 is the deformed doubly magic and $^{298}_{184}$114 is the spherical doubly magic nuclei.

• Stability of 244-260Fm isotopes against alpha and cluster radioactivity

Taking Coulomb and proximity potentials as the interacting barrier we have studied the cold valley in the radioactive decay of 244-260Fm isotopes. It is found that in addition to alpha particle minima, other minima occur at S, Ar and Ca clusters. We have computed the half-lives and other characteristics of different clusters emitted from these parents treating parent, daughter and emitted cluster as spheres. Our study reveals that most of these parents are unstable against alpha and heavy cluster (46Ar, 48,50Ca) emissions and stable against light cluster emission, except 8Be from 244-248Fm isotopes. The most probable clusters from these parents are predicted to be 46Ar, 48,50Ca which indicate the role of doubly or near doubly magic clusters ($Z = 20$, $N = 28$) and also stress the role of doubly magic 208Pb daughter. The computed half-lives for alpha decay are in good agreement with the experimental data. It is found that the presence of neutron excess in the parent nuclei slows down the cluster decay process. The effect of quadrupole $(\beta_{2})$ and hexadecapole $(\beta_{4})$ deformations of parent and fragments on half-lives are also studied. It is found that inclusion of $\beta_{2}$ and $\beta_{4}$ reduces the height and shape of the barrier (increases barrier penetrability) and hence the half-life decreases.

• # Pramana – Journal of Physics

Volume 96, 2022
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Posted on July 25, 2019

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