Approaching neutron-rich nuclei toward the r-process path in peripheral heavy-ion collisions at 15 MeV/nucleon
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abstract
The production cross sections of projectilelike fragments from the interaction of 15 MeV/nucleon 86Kr with 64Ni and 58Ni and with 124Sn and 112Sn were measured using a magnetic separator with emphasis on the neutron-rich isotopes. Neutron pickup isotopes (with up to six neutrons picked up from the target) were observed with large cross sections. Calculations involving the the deep-inelastic transfer model as well as the microscopic constrained molecular dynamics model (CoMD) for the primary interaction stage coupled to the statistical deexcitation code gemini were used to describe the gross properties of the product distributions. The present results were also compared with our previous data of the same reactions at 25 MeV/nucleon. The data at 15 MeV/nucleon show enhanced production of neutron-rich isotopes very close to the projectile, relative to the corresponding data at 25 MeV/nucleon. This enhancement in the cross sections is possibly associated with very peripheral collisions and longer interaction times of the neutron-rich 86Kr projectile with the neutron-rich targets. The large cross sections of such reactions well above the Coulomb barrier, but below the Fermi energy, involving peripheral nucleon exchange, suggest that both the N/Z of the projectile and the N/Z of the target may properly be exploited in the production of neutron-rich rare isotopes. These reactions offer a novel and attractive route to access extremely neutron-rich rare isotopes toward the the astrophysical r-process path and, possibly, the neutron drip-line. 2011 American Physical Society.
