Measurements of elastic scattering for 7Be, 7Li + 9Be systems and fusion cross sections for 7Li + 9Be system

Elastic scattering angular distributions have been measured for ⁷Be + ⁹Be system at E_lab = 17, 19 and 21 MeV in the angular range θ_cm=26^○–58°, and for ⁷Li + ⁹Be system at E_lab= 15.75, 24 and 30 MeV. An optical model (OM) analysis of these data have been carried out. For the ⁷Li + ⁹Be system fusion cross sections were obtained at E_lab = 15.75, 24 and 30 MeV by measuring the α-evaporation spectra from the compound nucleus at backward angles. The measured α-evaporation spectra were reproduced by the statistical model calculations and fusion cross sections were extracted therefrom. The ratios of the experimental fusion cross sections to the total reaction cross sections (obtained form OM analysis) were found to be rather small. This result suggests that break-up process has a strong influence on fusion process leading to a reduction in fusion cross section.     

Sub- and above-barrier fusion of loosely bound 6Li with 28Si

Fusion excitation functions are measured for the system ⁶Li + ²⁸Si using the characteristic $ \gamma$ -ray method, encompassing both the sub-barrier and above-barrier regions, viz, E _lab = 7-24 MeV. Two separate experiments were performed, one for the above-barrier region ( E _lab = 11-24 MeV) and another for the below-barrier region ( E _lab = 7-10 MeV). The results were compared with our previously measured fusion cross-section for the ⁷Li + ²⁸Si system. We observed the enhancement of the fusion cross-section at sub-barrier regions for both ⁶Li and ⁷Li , but the yield was substantially larger for ⁶Li . However, for well-above-barrier regions, a similar type of suppression was identified for both the systems.     

Physics with loosely bound nuclei

The essential aspect of contemporary physics is to understand properties of nucleonic matter that constitutes the world around us. Over the years research in nuclear physics has provided strong guidance in understanding the basic principles of nuclear interactions. But, the scenario of nuclear physics changed drastically as the new generation of accelerators started providing more and more rare isotopes, which are away from the line of stability. These weakly bound nuclei are found to exhibit new forms of nuclear matter and unprecedented exotic behaviour. The low breakup thresholds of these rare nuclei are posing new challenges to both theory and experiments. Fortunately, nature has provided a few loosely bound stable nuclei that have been studied thoroughly for decades Attempts are being made to find a consistent picture for the unstable nuclei starting from their stable counterparts. Some significant differences in the structure and reaction mechanisms are found.     

Comparison of 7Li , 7Be + 9Be elastic scattering in the coupled-reaction-channels approach

The data for the ⁷Li + ⁹Be and ⁷Be + ⁹Be elastic scattering at the energies E _lab(⁷Li) = 15.75 , 24, 30, 34, 63 and 130MeV and E _lab(⁷Be) = 17 , 19 and 21MeV were analyzed within the optical model and coupled-reaction-channels method. The elastic and inelastic scattering, reorientation of ⁷Li , ⁷Be and ⁹Be as well as most important transfer reactions were included in the coupled-channels scheme. The resulting ⁷Li and ⁷Be potentials are very similar and have the same energy dependence. The real potential for recently derived ⁸Be + ⁹Be scattering potentials is very similar to that for ⁷Li , ⁷Be but the imaginary part of the ⁸Be one has a much greater strength at longer range.     

Reaction efficiencies in nucleon channels for 7Li and 9Be nuclei

Reaction cross sections of the radiative capture of nucleons ⁶Li(n, γ)⁷Li, ⁶He(p, γ)⁷Li, and ⁸Li(p, γ)⁹Be in the region of low astrophysical energies are calculated using the dynamic potential cluster model. The results are compared to the available experimental and theoretical data. The yields of these reactions are also calculated, based on the established theoretical results.     

7Li quasi-free scattering off the α-cluster in 9Be nucleus

Spectra of coincident charged particles from the reactions induced by a 52 MeV ⁷Li beam incident on a beryllium target were measured. Strong contributions of the ⁷Li quasi-free scattering off the α-cluster in ⁹Be nucleus were observed. This observation supports the conclusions from the study of complete fusion of weakly bound light nuclei at low energies that the “fragility” of the nuclei makes their fusion less probable. Received: 1 June 1998     

Compact and loosely bound structures in light nuclei

The role of various components in the wave function of loosely bound light nuclei is considered in terms of the cluster model by taking into account orbital polarization. We show that several structures corresponding to particular modes of nucleon motion can be concurrently important for such structures. Specific examples of simple and fairly flexible trial wave functions are given for the ⁸Be and ⁶He nuclei. Explicit expressions are derived for the microscopic wave functions of these nuclei and employed to calculate basic nuclear parameters for commonly used central exchange NN potentials.     

Stimulated-echo NMR spectroscopy of 9Be and 7Li in solids: method and application to ion conductors

The generation of pure quadrupolar stimulated-echo spectra is successfully demonstrated for the spin-3/2 probe 9Be in a single crystal of triglycine fluoberyllate. This solid exhibits a paraelectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition. From experiments carried out for various mixing times no indications for a slow soft mode could be detected in this crystal. Then ion conducting lithium metal phosphates were studied using 7Li, another spin-3/2 probe which allows for a non-selective excitation of the entire NMR spectrum. In the indium and the scandium phosphates ultra-slow Li hopping processes could be detected directly via the stimulated-echo technique in a time range of up to four orders of magnitude. Due to the relatively large gyromagnetic ratio and thus strong dipolar interactions of 7Li no pure quadrupolar echoes could be generated. However, from a variation of the evolution times the quadrupolar effects could be separated from the dipolar ones. Finally, the differences in the ion hopping times of lithium indium phosphate and of lithium scandium phosphate are briefly discussed.     

Investigation of7Be(n,p)7Li reaction

The⁷Be(n, p)⁷Li nuclear reaction with thermal and 2 keV neutrons was studied. For thermal neutrons the total cross section of (46 800± 4 000) b was obtained and the proton branching ratio to the first excited and ground states of⁷Li was determined to be ₁/₀ = (2±1) %. For 2 keV neutrons the upper limit of the cross section of 540 b was estimated.Dedicated to Academician Václav Votruba on the occasion of his eightieth birthday.The autors thank Mr. A. Dvoák and Mrs. B. Michalcová for their manufacturing the⁶Li standards, Dr. J. Frána for his help in determining the number of⁷Be atoms and Ing. J. Hoffmann, Mr. J. Novotný and Mr. J. Badura for their careful preparation of electronics.     

Study of complete and incomplete fusion for loosely bound projectiles 6He and 6Li on 165Ho and 166Er targets

Complete fusion (CF) and incomplete fusion (ICF) reactions were studied for the cases of the loosely bound ⁶He and ⁶Li projectiles bombarding ¹⁶⁶Er and ¹⁶⁵Ho targets at energy of about 10 MeV/nucleon. Experiments were carried out to test an approach exploiting the measured intensities of ?? rays emitted at the transitions between the yrast-band levels of reaction products formed after the termination of neutron evaporation. Partial waves feeding the CF reactions ¹⁶⁵Ho (⁶Li, ⁵ n) ¹⁶⁶Yb and ¹⁶⁶Er(⁶He, ⁶ n) ¹⁶⁶Yb as well as ICF ¹⁶⁵Ho (⁶Li, ??3n) ¹⁶⁴Er and ¹⁶⁶Er(⁶He, ??4n) ¹⁶⁴Er reaction channels were revealed from the obtained ??-ray data. The method of exit channel identification via the triple coincidence (??1-??2-light charged particle) was employed for these reactions study.     

Dynamic polarization in the Coulomb breakup of loosely bound F

Angular distributions of the Coulomb breakup of radioactive ¹⁷F were measured by impinging a 10 MeV/nucleon beam on ²⁰⁸Pb and on ⁵⁸Ni to study the dynamic polarization effects. The breakup products, oxygen and a proton, were detected in coincidence. First-order perturbation theory significantly overpredicts the breakup cross section for the ²⁰⁸Pb target. Dynamical calculations with a dynamic polarization as the leading order correction were performed. The calculations reproduce the data for ¹⁷F on ⁵⁸Ni but overpredict the breakup of ¹⁷F on ²⁰⁸Pb by a factor of two at forward angles.     

Low-energy S(E) factor of 9Be(p, α)6Li and 9Be(p,d)8Be

Excitation functions and angular distributions of the ⁹Be(p, α)⁶Li and ⁹Be(p, d)⁸Be reactions have been measured over the energy range E _p = 16 to 390 keV. The data are dominated by one broad resonance including interference effects with a direct process. The effects of electron screening have also been observed, which are however significantly larger than expected. The deduced reaction rates at T₉ ≤ 1 are in excellent agreement with values given in a compilation.     

Disappearance of the hindrance ofE1-transition involving loosely bound nucleon

AlthoughE1-transition between levels below giant dipole resonance are almost always strongly hindered, there are several exceptions as observed in¹¹Be and¹³C. These fastE1-transitions are studied by adopting a simple “cutoff” model, in which the behavior of single particle wave functions only outside of the nucleus contribute. The results are compared with the particle-GDR coupling model. The reason why theE1-hindrance disappears is explained. We also investigate the direct capture of thermal neutron by⁴⁰Ca andN=82 nuclei, where similar situation is observed. Further, the implication of the direct capture in multiple neutron capture is discussed.     

α + α phase shifts and the p + 7Li and n + 7Be channels

Calculations reported recently in this journal indicate a discrepancy between measurements of $\text{α+α→}\text{n}\text{+}{}^7\text{Be}$ cross sections and phase shifts deduced from α+α elastic scattering. It is demonstrated that these calculations are erroneous.     

Reactions involving loosely bound cluster nuclei: Heavy ions and new technologies

Experimental results on excitation functions for complete-fusion and transfer reactions in the interaction of ⁶He and ^6,8,9Li nuclei with various target nuclei are presented. Data on fusion-reaction cross sections in the case of ⁶He differ strongly from the predictions of the statistical model. A strong enhancement of the cross section at barrier energies is observed for this reaction channel. Also, an increase in the cross sections for neutron-transfer reactions (in the case of ⁶He and ^8,9Li beams) and deuteron-transfer reactions (in the case of ⁶Li) is observed in the deep-subbarrier energy region. The results are discussed from the point of view of the effect of the cluster structure of nuclei on the probability of interaction at barrier energies. The results of employing heavy-ion beams in new technologies are presented.     

States of5He and8Be from the reaction7Li+d

Nuclear reactions of deuterons with⁷Li have been used in order to determine properties of the intermediate nuclei⁸Be and⁵He. Of particular interest are locations and widths of the ground state and first excited state of⁵He, and of the second excited state of⁸Be. In a completeα-α-coincidence spectrum, however, overlapping of the coincident rates restricts very much the evaluation of such spectra. Particularly important is the velocity of the over-all center of mass which may cause unfavourable conditions for reliable determinations of the wanted data.     

Diffractive scattering of loosely bound nuclei involving two charged clusters on nuclei

The theory of diffractive interaction between loosely bound nuclei featuring two charged clusters and nuclei is developed with allowance for Coulomb interaction. The differential cross sections for the scattering of ⁶Li, ⁷Be, and ⁸B nuclei on ¹²C nuclei are calculated, and the results of these calculations are compared with data from recent experiments.     

Experimental investigation of highly excited states of the 5,6He and 5,6Li nuclei in the (6Li, 7Be) and (6Li, 7Li) one-nucleon pickup reactions

The (⁶Li, ⁷Be) and (⁶Li, ⁷Li) reactions on ⁶Li and ⁷Li nuclei were investigated in the angular interval 0°–20° in the laboratory system at a ⁶Li energy of 93 MeV. In addition to low-lying states of the ^5,6He and ^5,6Li nuclei, broad structures were observed near the t(³He)+d and t(³He)+t thresholds at the excitation energies of 16.75 (3/2⁺) and ～20 MeV (for ⁵He), 16.66 (3/2⁺) and ～20 MeV (⁵Li), 14.0 and 25 MeV (⁶He), and ～20 MeV (⁶Li). The angular distributions measured in the ⁷Li(⁶Li, ⁷Be)⁶He reaction for transitions to the ground state (0⁺) and excited states at E _x=1.8 MeV (2⁺) and 14.0 MeV of the ⁶He nucleus were analyzed by the finite-range distorted-wave method assuming the 1p-and 1s-proton pickup mechanism. The (⁶Li, ⁷Be) and (⁶Li, ⁷Li) reactions were shown to proceed predominantly through the one-step pickup mechanism, and the broad structures observed at high excitation energies are considered as quasimolecular states of the t(³He)+d and t(³He)+t types.     

The 28Si(7Li, 7Be)28Al reaction at 36 MeV

The ²⁸Si(⁷Li, ⁷Be)²⁸Al reaction has been investigated at E_7Li = 36 MeV. States and groups of states were observed up to 5.3 MeV excitation in the ²⁸Al+⁷Be system. Experimental angular distribution for unresolved doublets of states at ≈ 0.0 and 0.44 MeV excitation, corresponding to ⁷Be in its ground state (⁷Be₀) and first excited states (⁷Be₁) with ²⁸Al in its ground state (3⁺) and first excited state (0.031 MeV, 2⁺) are compared with microscopic distorted wave approximation calculations.