Improved calculation of alpha decay half-life by incorporating nuclei deformation shape and proximity potential

Abstract

Accurate evaluation of alpha decay half-life is essential for understanding nuclear stability, ensuring nuclear safety, optimizing medical treatments, and studying astrophysical processes. Considering the deformed shape of nuclei, we calculated the alpha-decay half-life of 359 nuclei using the proximity potential. In addition, we employed the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation to compute the penetration probability through the potential barrier comprising nuclear, Coulomb, and centrifugal potentials. Our calculations revealed that the penetration probability, and hence the alpha-decay half-life, depend on the direction of alpha particle emission relative to the axial symmetry of the nucleus. Furthermore, our results suggested that the dependence of alpha-decay on parent nuclei temperature needs to be reassessed. We tabulated the alpha-decay half-life for various nuclei, and our results showed better agreement with experimental data compared to theoretical data in the literature.