Reaction dynamics of weakly-bound nuclei at near-barrier energies: impact of incomplete fusion on the angular distribution of direct alpha-production

TL;DR

This study enhances a classical trajectory model to quantitatively analyze how incomplete fusion affects the angular distribution of alpha particles produced in weakly-bound nuclear collisions near the Coulomb barrier, aiding experimental separation of reaction mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces an improved stochastic breakup model to study incomplete fusion effects on alpha-production angular distributions in weakly-bound nuclei.

Findings

Incomplete fusion decreases as energy approaches the Coulomb barrier.

Angular separation helps distinguish between incomplete fusion and no-capture breakup.

Model predictions assist experimental analysis of reaction mechanisms.

Abstract

The classical trajectory model with stochastic breakup for nuclear collision dynamics of weakly-bound nuclei is further developed. It allows a quantitative study of the importance of incomplete fusion dynamics in the angular distribution of direct alpha-production. Model calculations indicate that the incomplete fusion contribution diminishes with decreasing energy towards the Coulomb barrier, notably separating in angles from the contribution of no-capture breakup events. This should facilitate the experimental disentanglement of these competing reaction processes.