Investigating neutron transfer in the $^{9}$Be + $^{197}$Au system

TL;DR

This study measures neutron transfer and incomplete fusion cross sections in the $^{9}$Be + $^{197}$Au system over a wide energy range, using experimental techniques and coupled reaction channel calculations to understand the reaction mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental data and CRC calculations for neutron transfer processes involving weakly bound $^{9}$Be, highlighting the role of projectile structure.

Findings

Transfer process dominates over other reaction channels.

CRC calculations explain 1n-stripping cross sections well when including excited states.

Transfer cross sections scale with the square of the total radius, showing Q-value dependence.

Abstract

In this work $\textit{n}$-transfer and incomplete fusion cross sections for $^{9}$Be + $^{197}$Au system are reported over a wide energy range, E$_{c.m.}$ $\approx$ 29-45 MeV. The experiment was carried out using activation technique and off-line gamma counting. The transfer process is found to be the dominant mode as compared to all other reaction channels. Detailed coupled reaction channel (CRC) calculations have been performed for $\textit{n}$-transfer stripping and pickup cross sections. The measured 1$\textit{n}$-stripping cross sections are explained with CRC calculations by including the ground state and the 2$^{+}$ resonance state (E = 3.03 MeV) of $^{8}$Be. The calculations for 1$\textit{n}$-pickup, including only the ground state of $^{10}$Be agree reasonably well with the measured cross sections, while it overpredicts the data at subbarrier energies. For a better insight into the role of projectile structure in the transfer process, a comprehensive analysis of 1$\textit{n}$-stripping reaction has been carried out for various weakly bound projectiles on $^{197}$Au target nucleus. The transfer cross sections scaled with the square of total radius of interacting nuclei show the expected Q-value dependence of 1$\textit{n}$-stripping channel for weakly bound stable projectiles.