Neutron scattering from 208Pb at 30.4 and 40.0 MeV and isospin dependence of the nucleon optical potential

TL;DR

This study measures neutron scattering from 208Pb at 30.4 and 40.0 MeV to analyze the isospin dependence of the nucleon optical potential, combining experimental data with model analysis to improve understanding of neutron-proton interactions.

Contribution

It provides new neutron scattering data and a detailed analysis of the isospin dependence of the nucleon optical potential at intermediate energies.

Findings

Neutron scattering data at 30.4 and 40.0 MeV with 2-4% accuracy.

Coulomb correction to the proton optical potential is a few percent for real part, over 20% for imaginary part.

Predicted Coulomb correction for proton optical potential at 54 MeV based on neutron data.

Abstract

Analysis of data involving nuclei far from stability often requires optical potential (OP) for neutron scattering. Since neutron data is seldom available, while proton scattering data is more abundant, it is useful to have estimates of the difference of the neutron and proton optical potentials. This information is contained in the isospin dependence of the nucleon OP. Here we attempt to provide it for the nucleon-208Pb system. The goal of this paper is to obtain accurate n+208Pb scattering data, and use it, together with existing p+208Pb and 208Pb(p,n)208$Bi*_{IAS} data, to obtain an accurate estimate of the isospin dependence of the nucleon OP at energies in the 30-60 MeV range. Cross sections for n+208Pb scattering were measured at 30.4 and 40.0 MeV, with a typical relative (normalization) accuracy of 2-4% (3%). An angular range of 15 to 130 degrees was covered using the beam-swinger time of flight system at Michigan State University. These data were analyzed by a consistent optical model study of the neutron data and of elastic p+208Pb scattering at 45 MeV and 54 MeV. These results were combined with a coupled-channel analysis of the 208Pb(p,n) reaction at 45 MeV, exciting the 0^+ isobaric analog state in 208Bi. The new data and analysis give an accurate estimate the isospin impurity of the nucleon-208Pb OP at 30.4 MeV, caused by the Coulomb correction to the proton OP. The corrections to the real proton OP given by the CH89 global systematics was found to be only few percent, while for the imaginary potential it was over 20% at the nuclear surface. Based on the analysis of the measured elastic p+208Pb data at 40 MeV, a Coulomb correction of similar strength and shape was also predicted for the p+208Pb OP at energy around 54 MeV.