$\alpha$ Decays in Superstrong Static Electric Fields

TL;DR

This paper investigates how superstrong static electric fields can deform Coulomb barriers in nuclei, significantly accelerating alpha decay rates and altering emission patterns, with implications for laser-induced nuclear processes.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified model to study alpha decay responses to superstrong electric fields, revealing enhanced decay rates and anisotropic emission distributions.

Findings

Electric fields of ~0.1 MV/fm can accelerate alpha decay by over an order of magnitude.

Superstrong fields induce a transition from isotropic to anisotropic alpha emission.

The study discusses implications for alpha decay in realistic laser fields.

Abstract

Superstrong static electric fields could deform Coulomb barriers between $\alpha$ clusters and daughter nuclei, and bring up the possibility of speeding up $\alpha$ decays. We adopt a simplified model for the spherical $\alpha$ emitter $^{212}$Po and study its responses to superstrong static electric fields. We find that, superstrong electric fields with field strengths $|\mathbf{E}|\sim0.1$ MV/fm could turn the angular distribution of $\alpha$ emissions from isotropic to strongly anisotropic, and speed up $\alpha$ decays by more than one order of magnitude. We also study the influences of superstrong electric fields along the Po isotope chains, and discuss the implications of our studies on $\alpha$ decays in superstrong monochromatic laser fields. The study here might be helpful for future theoretical studies of $\alpha$ decay in realistic superstrong laser fields.