Search for a viable nucleus-nucleus potential for heavy-ion nuclear reactions

TL;DR

This paper develops an empirical formula for nuclear fusion and interaction barriers based on experimental data, which aligns well with various models and experimental results, aiding research near Coulomb barrier energies.

Contribution

It introduces a new empirical formula for nucleus-nucleus potentials that matches experimental data and improves predictions for superheavy element synthesis.

Findings

Empirical fusion barriers agree with experimental data.

Substituting the empirical barriers into Wong's formula yields accurate fusion cross sections.

The empirical interaction barriers align well with the Bass potential model.

Abstract

We have constructed an empirical formulae for the fusion and interaction barriers using experimental values available till date. The fusion barriers so obtained have been compared with different model predictions based on the proximity, Woods-Saxon and double folding potentials along with several empirical formulas, time dependent Hartree-Fock theories, and the experimental results. The comparison allows us to find the best model, which is nothing but the present empirical formula only. Most remarkably, the fusion barrier and radius show excellent consonance with the experimental findings for the reactions meant for synthesis of the superheavy elements also. Furthermore, it is seen that substitution of the predicted fusion barrier and radius in classic Wong formula [C. Wong, Phys. Rev. Lett. {31}, 766 (1973)] for the total fusion cross sections satisfies very well with the experiments. Similarly, current interaction barrier predictions have also been compared well with a few experimental results available and Bass potential model meant for the interaction barrier predictions. Importantly, the present formulae for the fusion as well as interaction barrier will have practical implications in carrying out the physics research near the Coulomb barrier energies. Furthermore, present fusion barrier and radius provide us a good nucleus-nucleus potential useful for numerous theoretical applications.