α-decay Chains of Superheavy Nuclei Nh Using a Finite-Range NN Interaction

Abstract

The α-decay half-lives of nihonium, 279 − 284Nh, isotopes and their α-decay products are studied by employing the density-dependent cluster model. The Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin semiclassical approximation including the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition is adopted in the evaluation of the α-decay widths. The double-folding α-daughter potential was determined using the effective M3Y-Paris nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction. Both spherical and deformed shapes for the daughter nuclei are considered with the zero-range exchange contribution of the NN interaction. Investigations of the effects of nonlocality on α-decay half-lives have been studied through the finite-range exchange part of the NN interaction. We found that the inclusion of the finite-range exchange part decreases α-decay half-lives as compared with those values using the zero-range calculations. The inclusion of deformation degrees of freedom in the daughter nuclei reduces the α-decay half-lives as compared with spherical shape. The calculated α-decay half-lives are compared with other theoretical models and they are in good agreement. The competition between α-decay and spontaneous fission is studied and the possible decay modes are presented for unknown nuclei.