Search for decay modes of heavy and superheavy nuclei

Spontaneous fission (SF) with a new formula based on a liquid drop model is proposed and used in the calculation of the SF half-lives of heavy and superheavy nuclei (Z = 90–120). The predicted half-lives are in agreement with the experimental SF half-lives. The half-lives of \begin{document}$ \alpha $\end{document} decay (AD) for the same nuclei are obtained by using the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) method together with Bohr-Sommerfeld (BS) quantization condition considering the isospin-dependent effects for the cosh potential. The decay modes and branching ratios of superheavy nuclei (Z = 104-118) with experimental decay modes are obtained, and the modes are compared with the experimental ones and with the predictions found in the literature. Although some nuclei have predicted decay modes that are different from their experimental decay modes, decay modes same as the experimental ones are predicted for many nuclei. The SF and AD half-lives, branching ratios, and decay modes are obtained for superheavy nuclei (Z = 119–120) with unknown decay modes and compared with the predictions obtained in a previous study. The present results provide useful information for future experimental studies performed on both the AD and SF of superheavy nuclei.