Fusion dynamics of stable and weakly bound colliding systems

Abstract

This work systematically analyzed the fusion dynamics of the projectile-target combinations involving stable and loosely bound systems within the view of the energy-dependent Woods–Saxon potential model (EDWSP model) and the coupled channel approach. The different projectiles are bombarded onto series of Sm-isotopes, which possess the dominance of the different kinds of the nuclear structure degrees of freedom and with the increase of the neutron richness, the Sm-isotopes gradually shift from spherical shape to a statically deformed shape. In the fusion of [Formula: see text] reaction, the impacts of vibrational degrees of freedom of the colliding nuclei are dominant while in the case of [Formula: see text] systems, the rotational states of the deformed target isotopes have a strong impression on the below-barrier fusion data. The heavier target isotopes ([Formula: see text] also exhibit the higher order deformation such as [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]-deformation parameter in its ground state and couplings to such channels must be incorporated in theoretical calculations in order to achieve close agreement with the sub-barrier fusion data. However, in the case of the loosely bound systems, the projectile breakup channel significantly affects the fusion excitation functions in the domain of the Coulomb barrier. To ensure the role of the projectile breakup channel, the fusion of the different loosely bound projectiles ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with Sm-isotopes are investigated, wherein the above-barrier fusion data of these reactions are suppressed with reference to the coupled channel calculations. This hindrance is the result of the projectile breakup effects that occur as a consequence of the breakup of the projectile before reaching the fusion barrier due to its low binding energy. However, in the EDWSP model calculations the magnitude of the hindrance of the above-barrier fusion data of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reactions is reduced by a factor varying from 7% to 13% with respect to a value reported in the literature. In contrast to this, the sub-barrier fusion enhancement of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reactions is the result of the dominance of the nuclear structure degrees of freedom of the colliding systems.