Eur. Phys. J. A (2012) 48: 79
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2012-12079-4

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Half-life and inner penetrability in the cold fission of ²⁴⁸Cm

¹ Department of Physics, Sree Narayana College, 670 007, Kannur, India
² School of Pure and Applied Physics, Kannur University, 670 327, Payyanur, India
³ Department of Physics, University of Calicut, 673 635, Malappuram, Kerala, India

^* e-mail: drkpsanthosh@gmail.com

Received: 10 March 2012
Revised: 24 April 2012
Accepted: 25 April 2012
Published online: 4 June 2012

Abstract

Using the Coulomb and proximity potential model (CPPM) with the nuclear surface tension improved by Reisdorf, the various fragmentations in the cold fission of ²⁴⁸Cm are studied as a cluster decay process within a fission model. The computed half-life values are compared with the values reported by Sandulescu et al. using the double-folding M3Y nuclear-nuclear potential model and are in agreement with CPPM values. The diffuseness width used in the proximity potential is found to be sensitive to the half-life. The inner penetrability is computed based on the formalism of Poenaru et al. (J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 17, 443 (1991)) and found that in the cold fission the contribution of the inner part (overlap region) of the barrier is significant compared to cluster decays. The variation of the inner penetrability with fragment mass is studied which emphasizes the fact that cold fission is an extension of cluster decay.