Studies on the decay modes of superheavy nuclei with Z = 120

Abstract

A study on the competition between alpha-decay and spontaneous fission (SF) of the Z = 120 isotopes with 283 ≤ A ≤ 350 is performed in this paper. The alpha-decay half-lives are evaluated using the modified generalized liquid drop model (MGLDM). The SF half-lives are calculated within the shell-effect-dependent formula. It is found that the dominant decay mode of 294,295,297,298,301-304,308120 is alpha-decay and the half-lives fall within the experimental limit (>1 μs). Then the decay properties of the alpha-decay chain of 294,295,297,298,301-304,308120 are predicted within the MGLDM and the shell-effect-dependent formula. These predictions are helpful for searching and identifying the new elements in future. Finally, the possibility of the cluster radioactivity of the Z = 120 isotopes is discussed within the MGLDM. By analyzing the competition between the cluster radioactivity and alpha-decay, it is found that the possibility of the cluster radioactivity is much smaller than the corresponding alpha-decay.