Contributions to the theory of alpha-decay

The theory of α-decay is reformulated in order to point out the necessary approximations in a rigorous way. The connection between the formulas given byThomas and byMang is easily established.Mang's explicit expressions of reduced widths, valid for shell model wave functions, are brought into a general form. The theory is applied to BCS wave functions and the decay constants of several Po-isotopes are calculated as an example. Furthermore results are presented which favour a spin assignmentI=18 and a predominating (h9/2) ₈ ² (i11/2) ₁₀ ² configuration for the Po²¹² isomeric state. The penetrabilities are calculated numerically, since the WKB-method is found to be unsatisfactory.