Probing the nuclear potential by a semiclassical analysis of the elastic scattering of 40Ar + 60Ni, 120Sn and 208Pb at 44 MeV/u

By analysing recent elastic scattering data of 44 MeV/u ⁴⁰Ar on ⁶⁰Ni, ¹²⁰Sn and ²⁰⁸Pb we demonstrate the validity of a semiclassical approximation using complex trajectories in this new energy range. Contrary to an analysis with a quantal code the use of trajectories gives direct information about the sensitivity range of the nuclear potential by looking at the turning point of the most deeply penetrating trajectory.