Angular distribution for the elastic scattering of 36 MeV alpha particles from gold target has been measured fromϑ ∼ 10–56°. The cross-section data have been analyzed in terms of the optical model. The real part of the optical model potential (V_R) has been deduced by two prescriptions: (i) combining the volume integral, the radius at whichV_R=2.4 MeV and the slope at this radius (1/V_R) (dV_R/dr) (ii) combining the volume integral, the root mean square radius and the equivalent sharp radius systematics. The imaginary potential depth has been searched to fit the data. The prediction using (i) for the real potential fits the data the best.

Stacked foil activation technique and Ge(Li) gamma ray spectroscopy have been used for determining the excitation functions up to 45 MeV, of six reactions⁹³Nb[(α, n), (α, 2n)^m, (α, 2n)^g, (α, 3n), (α,p3n) and (α, αn)]. Excitation functions were also calculated theoretically by means of the hybrid model with and without the inclusion of pre-equilibrium emission of particles. A general agreement was found in (α, xn) type of reactions.

Excitation functions of the reactions⁶³Cu[(α, n), (α, 2n)+(α, pn)] and⁶⁵Cu[(α, n), (α, 2n), (α, 3n), (α, 4n)+(α, p3n)] were investigated up to 50 MeV using stacked foil activation technique and Ge(Li) gamma ray spectroscopy method. Since natural copper used as the target has two odd-mass stable isotopes of abundance,⁶³Cu(69.17%) and⁶⁵Cu(30.83%), their activation in some cases, gives the same residual nucleus through different reaction channels but with very different threshold energies. In such cases, the individual reaction cross sections are separated with the ratio of theoretical cross sections. The experimental results were compared with the predictions of preequilibrium hybrid model of Blann. A general agreement was found in all reactions using initial exciton numbern₀=4(4p0h) and also preequilibrium fraction depends on the incident particle energy.

Stacked foil activation technique and Ge(Li) gamma ray spectroscopy have been used for the measurement of excitation functions of¹⁹⁷Au(α,xn) (x=1−3),¹⁹⁷Au(α,2pn) and¹⁹⁷Au(α,αn) reactions up to 50 MeV. The experimental cross-sections were compared with the predictions of pre-equilibrium hybrid model, as well as with the more recent index model. A general agreement was found in all reactions using initial exciton numbern₀=4(4p0h) except for¹⁹⁷Au(α,n) reaction, where index model gives fairly good agreement withn₀=5(5p0h).