Experimental study of the quasifission, fusion-fission, and de-excitation of Cf compound nuclei

Background: The fusion-evaporation reaction at energies around the Coulomb barrier is presently the only way to produce the heaviest elements. However, formation of evaporation residues is strongly hindered due to the competing fusion-fission and quasifission processes. Presently, a full understanding of these processes and their relationships has not been reached. Purpose: This work aims to use new fission measurements and existing evaporation residue and fission excitation function data for reactions forming Cf isotopes to investigate the dependence of the quasifission probability and characteristics on the identities of the two colliding nuclei in heavy element formation reactions. Method: Using the Australian National University's 14UD electrostatic accelerator and CUBE detector array, fission fragments from the 12C+235U, 34S+208Pb, 36S+206Pb, 36S+208Pb, and 44Ca+198Pt reactions were measured. Mass and angle distributions of fission fragments were extracted and compared to investigate the presence and characteristics of quasifission. Results: Mass-angle-correlated fission fragments were observed for the 44Ca+198Pt reaction; no correlation was observed in the other reactions measured. Flat-topped fission-fragment mass distributions were observed for 12C+235U at compound-nucleus excitation energies from 28 to 52 MeV. Less pronounced flat-topped distributions were observed, with very similar shapes, for all three sulfur-induced reactions at excitation energies lower than 45 MeV. Conclusions: A high probability of long-time-scale quasifission seems necessary to explain both the fission and evaporation residue data for the 34S+208Pb and 36S+206Pb reactions. Flat-topped mass distributions observed for 12C- and 34,36S-induced reactions are suggested to originate both from late-chance fusion-fission at low excitation energies and the persistence of shell effects at the higher energies associated with quasifission.