Time-dependent density functional theory study of induced-fission dynamics of $^{226}$Th

TL;DR

This paper employs a finite-temperature time-dependent density functional theory model to investigate the microscopic dynamics of induced fission in $^{226}$Th, focusing on saddle-to-scission evolution, dissipation, and fragment properties.

Contribution

It introduces a self-consistent finite-temperature TDDFT approach to study fission dynamics, including dissipation effects and fragment entanglement, which are novel in this context.

Findings

Dissipation effects influence fission fragment formation.

Asymmetric and symmetric fission trajectories show different temperature evolutions.

Analysis of entanglement provides insights into fragment correlations.

Abstract

A microscopic finite-temperature model based on time-dependent nuclear density functional theory (TDDFT), is employed to study the induced-fission process of $^{226}$Th. The saddle-to-scission dynamics of this process is explored, starting from various points on the deformation surface of Helmholtz free energy at a temperature that corresponds to the experimental excitation energy, and following self-consistent isentropic fission trajectories as they evolve toward scission. Dissipation effects and the formation of excited fragments are investigated and, in particular, the difference in the evolution of the local temperature along asymmetric and symmetric fission trajectories. The relative entropies and entanglement between fission fragments emerging at scission are analyzed.