Sub-barrier fusion involving odd mass nuclei: The case of 36S + 50Ti, 51V

Abstract

Sub-barrier fusion of the two near-by systems 36S + 50Ti, 51V has been measured at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (INFN). Motivation for the experiment came from the possible effect of the non-zero spin of the ground state of the 51V nucleus on the sub-barrier excitation function, and in particular on the shape of the barrier distribution. No previous data were available for these two systems near the barrier. Our results show that the two measured excitation functions are very similar down to the level of 20-30μb. The same is true for the two barrier distributions. Coupled-channel calculations have been performed including the low energy excitations of both projectile and the two targets. We have indication that the low-lying levels in 51V can be interpreted in the weak-coupling scheme, that is, 51V (I) = 50Ti(2+) ⊗ p(1f7/2) and that the extra proton in the $ 1f_{7/2}$ shell does not have a significant influence on sub-barrier fusion.