The dependence of fission barriers on the excitation energy of the compound nucleus impacts the survival probability of superheavy nuclei synthesized in heavy-ion fusion reactions. In this work, we investigate the isentropic fission barriers by means of the self-consistent nuclear density functional theory. The relationship between isothermal and isentropic descriptions is demonstrated. Calculations have been carried out for $^{264}$Fm, $^{272}$Ds, $^{278}$112, $^{292}$114, and $^{312}$124. For nuclei around $^{278}$112 produced in "cold fusion" reactions, we predict a more rapid decrease of fission barriers with excitation energy as compared to the nuclei around $^{292}$114 synthesized in "hot fusion" experiments. This is explained in terms of the difference between the ground-state and saddle-point temperatures. The effect of the particle gas is found to be negligible in the range of temperatures studied.
The current status of the application of covariant density functional theory to the description of fission barriers in actinides and superheavy nuclei is reviewed. The achievements and open problems are discussed.
Spontaneous fission and alpha decay are the main decay modes for superheavy nuclei. The superheavy nuclei which have small alpha decay half-life compared to spontaneous fission half-life will survive fission and can be detected in the laboratory through alpha decay. We have studied the alpha decay half-life and spontaneous half-life of some superheavy elements in the atomic range Z = 100-130. Spontaneous fission half-lives of superheavy nuclei have been calculated using the phenomenological formula and the alpha decay half-lives using Viola-Seaborg-Sobiczewski formula (Sobiczewski et al. 1989)…
Systematic calculations of fission barriers allowing for triaxial deformation are performed for even-even superheavy nuclei with charge number $Z=112-120$ using three classes of covariant density functional models. The softness of nuclei in the triaxial plane leads to an emergence of several competing fission pathes in the region of the inner fission barrier in some of these nuclei. The outer fission barriers are considerably affected by triaxiality and octupole deformation. General trends of the evolution of the inner and the outer fission barrier heights are discussed as a function of the pa…
We investigate the systematics of fission barriers in superheavy elements in the range Z = 108-120 and N = 166-182. Results from two self-consistent models for nuclear structure, the relativistic mean-field (RMF) model as well as the non-relativistic Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach are compared and discussed. We restrict ourselves to axially symmetric shapes, which provides an upper bound on static fission barriers. We benchmark the predictive power of the models examining the barriers and fission isomers of selected heavy actinide nuclei for which data are available. For both actinides and super…
Fission-fragment mass and total-kinetic-energy (TKE) distributions following fission of even-even nuclides in the region $74 \leq Z \leq 126$ and $92 \leq N \leq 230$, comprising 896 nuclides have been calculated using the Brownian shape-motion method. The emphasis is the region of superheavy nuclei. To show compatibility with earlier results the calculations are extended to include earlier studied regions. An island of asymmetric fission is obtained in the superheavy region, $106\leq Z\leq114$ and $162\leq N\leq 176$, where the heavy fragment is found to be close to $^{208}$Pb and the light f…
We systematically calculate the spontaneous fission half-lives for heavy and superheavy nuclei between U and Fl isotopes. The spontaneous fission process is studied within the semi-empirical WKB approximation. The potential barrier is obtained using a generalized liquid drop model, taking into account the nuclear proximity, the mass asymmetry, the phenomenological pairing correction, and the microscopic shell correction. Macroscopic inertial-mass function has been employed for the calculation of the fission half-life. The results reproduce rather well the experimental data. Relatively long hal…
Theoretical uncertainties in the predictions of inner fission barrier heights in superheavy elements have been investigated in a systematic way for a set of state-of-the-art covariant energy density functionals which represent major classes of the functionals used in covariant density functional theory. They differ in basic model assumptions and fitting protocols. Both systematic and statistical uncertainties have been quantified where the former turn out to be larger. Systematic uncertainties are substantial in superheavy elements and their behavior as a function of proton and neutron numbers…
We found that a true ternary fission with formation of a heavy third fragment (a new type of radioactivity) is quite possible for superheavy nuclei due to the strong shell effects leading to a three-body clusterization with the two doubly magic tin-like cores. The simplest way to discover this phenomenon in the decay of excited superheavy nuclei is a detection of two tin-like clusters with appropriate kinematics in low-energy collisions of medium mass nuclei with actinide targets. The three-body quasi-fission process could be even more pronounced for giant nuclear systems formed in collisions …
We computed a new set of static fission properties suited for r-process calculations. The potential energy surfaces and collective inertias of 3640 nuclei in the superheavy region are obtained from Self-Consistent Mean-Field calculations using the Barcelona-Catania-Paris-Madrid energy density functional. The fission path is computed as a function of the quadrupole moment by minimizing the potential energy and exploring octupole and hexadecapole deformations. The spontaneous fission lifetimes are evaluated employing different schemes for the collective inertias and vibrational energy correction…
This work investigated the first-chance survival probabilities of highly excited compound superheavy nuclei in the prospect of synthesizing new superheavy elements. The main feature of our modelings is the adoption of microscopic temperature dependent fission barriers in calculations of fission rates. A simple derivation is demonstrated to elucidate the connection between Bohr-Wheeler statistical model and imaginary free energy method, obtaining a new formula for fission rates. The best modeling is chosen with respect to reproducing the experimental fission probability of $^{210}$Po. Systemati…
Superheavy isotopes are highly neutron rich nuclei in the vicinity of neutron drip-line, stabilized by shell effect against the instability due to repulsive component of nuclear force, analogous to superheavy elements similarly stabilized against Coulomb instability. Here we discuss the stability and fission decay properties of such nuclei in the $^{254}$Th region and show that they are stable against $α$ and fission decay and have $β$-decay life time of several tens of seconds. In particular, the $^{254}$Th nucleus has a low fission barrier and unusally large barrier width. This makes it an i…
A systematic study of fission-barrier dependence on excitation energy has been performed using the self-consistent finite-temperature Hartree-Fock+BCS (FT-HF+BCS) formalism with the SkM* Skyrme energy density functional. The calculations have been carried out for even-even superheavy nuclei with Z ranging between 110 and 124. For an accurate description of fission pathways, the effects of triaxial and reflection-asymmetric degrees of freedom have been fully incorporated. Our survey demonstrates that the dependence of isentropic fission barriers on excitation energy changes rapidly with particl…
We discuss the possibility whether superheavy elements can be produced in Nature by the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process. To this end we have performed fully dynamical network r-process calculations assuming an environment with neutron-to-seed ratio large enough to produce superheavy nuclei. Our calculations include two sets of nuclear masses and fission barriers and include all possible fission channels and the associated fission yield distributions. Our calculations produce superheavy nuclei with A ~ 300 that however decay on timescales of days.
The evolution of structure property along the fission path in the superheavy nucleus $^{256}$Sg is predicted through the multi-dimensional potential-energy(or Routhian)-surface calculations,in which the phenomenological deformed Woods-Saxon potential is adopted. Calculated nuclear deformations and fission barriers for $^{256}_{106}$Sg$_{150}$ and its neighbors, e.g., $^{258,260}$Sg, $^{254}$Rf and $^{252}$No are presented and compared with other theoretical results. A series of energy maps and curves are provided and used to evaluate the corresponding shape-instability properties, especially i…
Fusion dynamics and the onset of quasi-fission in reactions, leading to production of superheavy nuclei are investigated using the constrained molecular dynamics model. Constraints on the parameters of the nuclear equation of state are derived from experimental fusion probabilities. The obtained constraint on the modulus of incompressibility of nuclear matter K0 = 240 - 260 MeV is consistent with the results of previous study using the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation and also with constraints derived using the recent neutron star binary collision event GW170817. Unlike the modulus of inco…
The impact of pairing correlations on the fission barriers is investigated in Relativistic Hartree Bogoliubov (RHB) theory and Relativistic Mean Field (RMF)+BCS calculations. It is concluded that the constant gap approximation in the usual RMF+BCS calculations does not provide an adequate description of the barriers. The RHB calculations show that there is a substantial difference in the predicted barrier heights between zero-range and finite range pairing forces even in the case when the pairing strengths of these two forces are adjusted to the same value of the pairing gap at the ground stat…
The constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approximation, based on the recent parametrization D1M$^{*}$ of the Gogny energy density functional, is used to describe fission in 435 superheavy nuclei. The Gogny-D1M$^{*}$ parametrization is benchmarked against available experimental data on inner and second barrier heights, excitation energies of the fission isomers and half-lives in a selected set of Pu, Cm, Cf, Fm, No, Rf, Sg, Hs and Fl nuclei. Results are also compared with those obtained with the Gogny-D1M energy density functional. A detailed study of the minimal energy fission paths is carried …
We propose an effective method for the precise investigation of the fusion-fission mechanism in the superheavy-mass region, using the fluctuation-dissipation model. The trajectory calculation with friction is performed in the nuclear deformation space using the Langevin equation. In the reaction $^{48}$Ca+$^{244}$Pu, the trajectories are classified into the fusion-fission process, the quasi-fission process and the deep quasi-fission process. By analyzing the time evolution of each trajectory, the mechanism of each process is clearly revealed, i.e., it is explained why a trajectory takes a char…
The microscopic approach of fission rates and neutron emission rates in compound nuclei have been applied to $^{258}$No and $^{286}$Cn. The microscopic framework is based on the finite-temperature Skyrme-Hartree-Fock+BCS calculations, in which the fission barriers and mass parameters are self-consistently temperature dependent. The fission rates from low to high temperatures can be obtained based on the imaginary free energy method. The neutron emission rates are obtained with neutron gases at surfaces. Finally the survival probabilities of superheavy nuclei can be calculated microscopically. …
We investigate the cold fission/fusion paths of superheavy nuclei within the two center shell model, in order to find the best projectile-target combinations of their production. The fission/fusion yields are estimated by using the semiclassical approach. We predict several asymmetric combinations of relative long living fragments, which can be used in fusion experiments of superheavy nuclei with Z>118.
The impact of beyond mean field effects on the ground state and fission properties of superheavy nuclei has been investigated in a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian based on covariant density functional theory. The inclusion of dynamical correlations reduces the impact of the $Z=120$ shell closure and induces substantial collectivity for the majority of the $Z=120$ nuclei which otherwise are spherical at the mean field level (as seen in the calculations with the PC-PK1 functional). Thus, they lead to a substantial convergence of the predictions of the functionals DD-PC1 and PC-PK1 which …
The decimal logarithm of spontaneous fission half-life of the superheavy nucleus $^{286}$Fl experimentally determined is $\log_{10} T_f^{exp} (s) = -0.632$. We present a method to calculate the half-life based on the cranking inertia and the deformation energy, functions of two independent surface coordinates, using the best asymmetric two center shell model. In the first stage we study the statics. At a given mass asymmetry up to about $η=0.5$ the potential barrier has a two hump shape, but for larger $η$ it has only one hump. The touching point deformation energy versus mass asymmetry shows …
We investigate the structure of the potential energy surfaces of the superheavy nuclei 258Fm, 264Hs, (Z=112,N=166), (Z=114,N=184), and (Z=120,N=172) within the framework of self-consistent nuclear models, i.e. the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach and the relativistic mean-field model. We compare results obtained with one representative parametrisation of each model which is successful in describing superheavy nuclei. We find systematic changes as compared to the potential energy surfaces of heavy nuclei in the uranium region: there is no sufficiently stable fission isomer any more, the importance …
The fusion-fission process accompanied by neutron emission is studied in the superheavy-mass region on the basis of the fluctuation-dissipation model combined with a statistical model. The calculation of the trajectory or the shape evolution in the deformation space of the nucleus with neutron emission is performed. Each process (quasi-fission, fusion-fission, and deep quasi-fission processes) has a characteristic travelling time from the point of contact of colliding nuclei to the scission point. These dynamical aspects of the whole process are discussed in terms of the pre-scission neutron m…
Potential energy surfaces and fission barriers of superheavy nuclei are analyzed in the macroscopic-microscopic model. The Lublin-Strasbourg Drop (LSD) is used to obtain the macroscopic part of the energy, whereas the shell and pairing energy corrections are evaluated using the Yukawa-folded potential. A standard flooding technique has been used to determine the barrier heights. It was shown the Fourier shape parametrization containing only three deformation parameters reproduces well the nuclear shapes of nuclei on their way to fission. In addition, the non-axial degree of freedom is taken in…
The systematic investigation of the ground state and fission properties of even-even actinides and superheavy nuclei with $Z=90-120$ from the two-proton up to two-neutron drip lines with proper assessment of systematic theoretical uncertainties has been performed for the first time in the framework of covariant density functional theory (CDFT). These results provide a necessary theoretical input for the r-process modeling in heavy nuclei and, in particular, for the study of fission recycling. Four state-of-the-art globally tested covariant energy density functionals (CEDFs), namely, DD-PC1, DD…
The fusion-fission process in the superheavy mass region is studied systematically by solving the time evolution of nuclear shape in three-dimensional deformation space using the Langevin equation. By analyzing the trajectory in the deformation space, we identify the critical area when the trajectory's destination is determined to be the fusion or the quasi-fission process. It is also clarified that the potential landscape around the critical area is crucial for estimating the fusion probability, and its dependence on the atomic number is presented.
Pairing properties of even-even superheavy N=184 isotones are studied within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock+BCS approach. In the particle-hole channel we take the Skyrme energy density functional SLy4, while in the particle-particle channel we employ the seniority pairing force and zero-range delta-interactions with different forms of density dependence. We conclude that the calculated static fission trajectories weakly depend on the specific form of the delta-pairing interaction. We also investigate the impact of triaxiality on the inner fission barrier and find a rather strong Z dependence of the e…
We present the first attempt of systematically investigating the effects of shell correction energy for a dynamical process, which includes fusion, fusion-fission and quasi-fission processes. In the superheavy mass region, for the fusion process, shell correction energy plays a very important role and enhances the fusion probability when the colliding partner has a strong shell structure. By analyzing the trajectory in three-dimensional coordinate space with the Langevin equation, we reveal the mechanism of the enhancement of the fusion probability caused by `cold fusion valleys'. The temperat…
Using the ETFSI (extended Thomas-Fermi plus Strutinsky integral) method, we have calculated the fission barriers of nearly 2000 exotic nuclei, including all the neutron-rich nuclei up to A=318 that are expected to be relevant to the r-process, and all the superheavy nuclei in the vicinity of N=184, with Z<=120. Our calculations were performed with the Skyrme force SkSC4, which was determined in the ETFSI-1 mass fit. For proton-deficient nuclei in the region of N=184 we find the barriers to be much higher than previously believed, which suggests that the r-process path might continue to mass nu…
Using the microscopic-macroscopic model based on the deformed Woods-Saxon single-particle potential and the Yukawa-plus-exponential macroscopic energy we calculated static fission barriers $B_{f}$ for 1305 heavy and superheavy nuclei $98\leq Z \leq 126$, including even - even, odd - even, even - odd and odd - odd systems. For odd and odd-odd nuclei, adiabatic potential energy surfaces were calculated by a minimization over configurations with one blocked neutron or/and proton on a level from the 10-th below to the 10-th above the Fermi level. The parameters of the model that have been fixed pr…
We study the nuclear properties of even-even superheavy $Z$=120 isotopes and $N$=184 isotones with the Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB)approach. Within this model we examine the deformation energy surfaces and two paths to fission: a reflection-symmetric path with elongated fission fragments (sEF) and a reflection-asymmetric path corresponding to elongated fission fragments (aEF). Furthermore, we explore the energy surfaces in the region of very large oblate deformations with toroidal nuclear density distributions. While the energy surfaces of toroidal $Z$=120 isotopes and $N$=184 isotones…
Magic islands for extra-stable nuclei in the midst of the sea of fission-instability were predicted to be around Z=114, 124 or, 126 with N=184, and Z=120, with N=172. Whether these fission-survived superheavy nuclei with high Z and N would live long enough for detection or, undergo alpha-decay in a very short time remains an open question. Alpha-decay half lives of nuclei with 130 < Z < 100 have been calculated in a WKB framework using density-dependent M3Y interaction with Q-values from different mass formulae. The results are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Fission survive…
We have investigated most stable superheavy nuclei by studying the decay properties such as alpha decay, cluster decay and spontaneous fission. We have investigated nine stable nuclei in the island of stability which can be detected through fission are 318123(10.5ms), 319123(4.68μs), 317124(1.74x104 y), 318124(2.70x101 y), 319124(2.83x10-2 y), 320124(1.91x10-5 y), 319125(2.46x109 y), 320125(3.81x106 y) and 321125(3.99x103 y). Present work also investigates three stable superheavy nuclei which can be detected through alpha decay which are 318125(1.03x1012 y), 319126(5.77x1011 y) and 320126(3.99…
We present the first attempt of the systematical investigation about the effects of shell correction energy for dynamical processes, which include fusion, fusion-fission and quasi-fission processes. In the superheavy mass region, for the fusion process, the shell correction energy plays a very important role and enhances the fusion probability, when the colliding partner has strong shell structure. By analyzing the trajectory in the three-dimensional coordinate space with a Langevin equation, we reveal the mechanism of the enhancement of the fusion probability caused by shell effects.
A statistical approach based on the Weisskopf evaporation theory has been developed to describe the de-excitation process of highly excited heavy and superheavy nuclei, in particular for the proton-rich nuclei. The excited nucleus is cooled by evaporating $γ$-ray, light particles (neutrons, protons, $α$ etc) in competition with the binary fission, in which the structure effects (shell correction, fission barrier, particle separation energy) contribute to the processes. The formation of residual nuclei is evaluated via sequential emission of possible particles above the separation energies. The…
The fusion and evaporation residue cross sections for the $^{50}$Ti+$^{249}$Cf and $^{54}$Cr+$^{248}$Cm reactions calculated by the combined dinuclear system and advanced statistical models are compared. These reactions are considered to be used to synthesize the heaviest superheavy element. The $^{50}$Ti+$^{249}$Cf reaction is more mass asymmetric than $^{54}$Cr+$^{248}$Cm and the fusion excitation function for the former reaction is higher than the one for the latter reaction. The evaporation residue excitation functions for the mass asymmetric reaction is higher in comparison with the one o…
This dissertation deals with theoretical descriptions of nuclear fission and synthesis of superheavy elements via fusion. The associated shape evolutions are treated using a random-walk approach where both the potential energy and the nuclear level density influence the dynamics. The work in this thesis extends the random-walk model by, in addition to the previous description of fragment mass yields, also simulating how much kinetic energy the fission-fragments obtain and the number of neutrons they emit, as well as how these two quantities are correlated. The thesis also presents studies of h…
The possibility to synthesize heavier superheavy elements in massive nuclei reactions is strongly limited by the hindrance to complete fusion of reacting nuclei: due to the onset of the quasifission process in the entrance channel, which competes with complete fusion, and by strong increase of the fission yield along the de-excitation cascade of the compound nucleus in comparison to the evaporation residue formation. We present a wide and detailed procedure allowing us to describe the experimental results (evaporation residue nuclei and fissionlike products) in the mass asymmetric and symmetri…
On the basis of systematic calculations for 1364 heavy and superheavy nuclei, including odd-systems, we have found a few candidates for high-K ground states in superheavy nuclei. The macroscopic-microscopic model based on the deformed Woods-Saxon single particle potential which we use offers a reasonable description of SH systems, including known: nuclear masses, $Q_α$-values, fission barriers, ground state deformations, super- and hyper-deformed minima in the heaviest nuclei. %For odd and odd-odd systems, both ways of including pairing correlations, % blocking and the quasi-particle method, h…
The mechanism of fusion hindrance, an effect preventing the synthesis of superheavy elements in the reactions of cold and hot fusion, is investigated using the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation, where Coulomb interaction is introduced. A strong sensitivity is observed both to the modulus of incompressibility of symmetric nuclear matter, controlling the competition of surface tension and Coulomb repulsion, and to the stiffness of the density-dependence of symmetry energy, influencing the formation of the neck prior to scission. The experimental fusion probabilities were for the first time us…
Spontaneous-fission half-lives of the heaviest even-even nuclei are evaluated and compared with their alpha-decay mode. Calculations of spontaneous-fission half-lives are performed in the dynamical way with potential energy obtained by the macroscopic-microscopic method and the inertia tensor obtained by the cranking approximation. The alpha-decay half-lives are calculated for the same region of nuclei by use of the Viola and Seaborg formula. The ground-state properties such as mean square radii and electric quadrupole moments are also studied. From the analysis of spontaneous-fission half-lif…
In this paper, we analyze the structural properties of $Z=132$ and $Z=138$ superheavy nuclei within the ambit of axially deformed relativistic mean-field framework with NL$3^{*}$ parametrization and calculate the total binding energies, radii, quadrupole deformation parameter, separation energies, density distributions. We also investigate the phenomenon of shape coexistence by performing the calculations for prolate, oblate and spherical configurations. For clear presentation of nucleon distributions, the two-dimensional contour representation of individual nucleon density and total matter de…
A systematic analysis of the ground state and fission properties of actinides and superheavy nuclei important for the $r$ process modeling has been performed within the framework of covariant density functional theory for the first time in Ref. [1]. A brief review of the results related to the heights of primary fission barriers and systematic uncertainties in their prediction is presented. In addition, new results on the potential impact of the isospin dependence of pairing on fission barriers in fission cycling regions is provided for the first time.
The fusion excitation function is the important quantity in planning experiments for the synthesis of superheavy elements. Its values seem to be determined by the experimental study of the hindrance to complete fusion by the observation of mass, angular and energy distributions of the fissionlike fragments. There is ambiguity in establishment of the reaction mechanism leading to the observed binary fissionlike fragments. The fissionlike fragments can be produced in the quasifission, fast fission, and fusion-fission processes which have overlapping in the mass (angular, kinetic energy) distribu…
After shortly analyzing data relevant to fission hindrance of odd-A nuclei and high-$K$ isomers in superheavy (SH) region we point out the inconsistency of current fission theory and propose an approach based on the instanton formalism. A few results of this method, simplified by replacing selfconsistency by elements of the macro-micro model, are given to illustrate its features.
The production cross sections of heaviest isotopes of superheavy nuclei with charge numbers 112--118 are predicted in the $xn$--, $pxn$--, and $αxn$--evaporation channels of the $^{48}$Ca-induced complete fusion reactions for future experiments. The estimates of synthesis capabilities are based on a uniform and consistent set of input nuclear data. Nuclear masses, deformations, shell corrections, fission barriers, and decay energies are calculated within the macroscopic-microscopic approach for even-even, odd-Z, and odd-N nuclei. For odd systems, the blocking procedure is used. To find, the gr…
Potential energy surfaces of even-even superheavy nuclei are evaluated within the macroscopic-microscopic approximation. A very rapidly converging analytical Fourier-type shape parametrization is used to describe nuclear shapes throughout the periodic table, including those of fissioning nuclei. The Lublin Strasbourg Drop and another effective liquid-drop type mass formula are used to determine the macroscopic part of nuclear energy. The Yukawa-folded single-particle potential, the Strutinsky shell-correction method, and the BCS approximation for including pairing correlations are used to obta…
The synthesis of superheavy elements stimulates the effort to study the peculiarities of the complete fusion with massive nuclei and to improve theoretical models in order to extract knowledge about reaction mechanism in heavy ion collisions at low energies. We compare the theoretical results of the compound nucleus (CN) formation and evaporation residue (ER) cross sections obtained for the $^{48}$Ca+$^{248}$Cm and $^{58}$Fe+$^{232}$Th reactions leading to the formation of the isotopes A=296 and A=290, respectively, of the new superheavy element Lv (Z=116). The ER cross sections, which can be …
Fusion - fission probabilities in the synthesis of heaviest elements are discussed in the context of the latest experimental reports. Cross sections for superheavy nuclei are evaluated using "Fusion by Diffusion" (FBD) model. Predictive power of this approach is shown for experimentally known Lv, Og isotopes and predictions given for Z=119,120. Ground state and saddle point properties as: masses, shell corrections, pairing energies and deformations necessary for cross section estimations are calculated systematically within the multidimensional microscopic - macroscopic method based on the def…
The current status of the application of covariant density functional theory to microscopic description of nuclear fission with main emphasis on superheavy nuclei (SHN) is reviewed. The softness of SHN in the triaxial plane leads to an emergence of several competing fission pathes in the region of the inner fission barrier in some of these nuclei. The outer fission barriers of SHN are considerably affected both by triaxiality and octupole deformation.
Quasi-fission is the primary reaction mechanism that prevents the formation of superheavy elements in heavy-ion fusion experiments. Employing the time-dependent density functional theory approach we study quasi-fission in the systems $^{40,48}$Ca+$^{238}$U. Results show that for $^{48}$Ca projectiles the quasi-fission is substantially reduced in comparison to the $^{40}$Ca case. This partly explains the success of superheavy element formation with $^{48}$Ca beams. For the first time, we also calculate the repartition of excitation energies of the two fragments in a dynamic microscopic theory. …
Superheavy nuclei produced until now are decaying mainly by $α$ emission and spontaneous fission. Calculated $α$ decay half-lives are in agreement with experimental data within one order of magnitude. The discrepancy between theory and experiment can be as high as ten orders of magnitude for spontaneous fission. We analyze a way to improve the accuracy by using the action integral based on cranking inertia and a potential barrier computed by the macroscopic-microscopic method with a two-center shell model. Illustrations are given for $^{282}$Cn which has a measured fission half-life.
Within the framework of a dinuclear system (DNS) model, the evaporation-residue excitation functions and the quasi-fission mass yields in the $^{48}$Ca induced fusion reactions are investigated systematically and compared with available experimental data. Maximal production cross sections of superheavy nuclei based on stable actinide targets are obtained. Isotopic trends in the production of the superheavy elements Z=110, 112-118 based on the actinide isotopic targets are analyzed systematically. Optimal evaporation channels and combinations as well as the corresponding excitation energies are…