Alpha decay

Alpha Decay
 Alpha Decay
Energy relations
Sα (A, Z) = −Qα (A, Z) = B(A, Z) − B(A − 4, Z − 2) − 28.3MeV
Qα = Tα + Td =
experimental binding
#M + M & # A & energy of 4He
%
Tα % D α(
( ≈ Tα % (
$ MD ' $ A − 4'
+electron screening
recoil term effect +bremsstrahlung
http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/chart/reColor.jsp?newColor=qa
 Theory of Alpha decay: Gamow 1928

Coulomb potential

Attractive nuclear
potential

At t=0, alpha particle is localized inside the nucleus. It can be represented by a

wave packet. At large times, the wave function is an outgoing wave.
 Two potential approach to tunneling
(decay width and shift of an isolated quasistationary state)
Phys. Rev. A 38, 1747 (1988); Phys. Rev. A69, 042705 (2004)

Fermi’s golden rule!

V ( r) = U ( r ) + W ( r)
open closed scattering

W˜ = W + V0
 2
χ III $ r2 '
P= ∝ exp &−2 ∫ k(r)dr ) 1
2 T∝
χI &% r1 )( P

In the case of the Coulomb barrier,

the above integral can be evaluated
exactly.

b
logT = a +
Qα
Geiger-Nuttall law of alpha decay 1911

For the Coulomb barrier above, derive the

Geiger-Nuttal law. Assume that the energy of an
alpha particle is E=Qα, and that the outer turning
point is much greater than the potential radius.
 fe and that predicted by the GN Law is as large as one order of

r-Nuttall law, Formation probability, Clustering

Phys. Lett. B 734 203 (2014)

ing the devel-
was the formu- 9 (a) Pb
10
) law in 1911 Po
ed in Ref. [1], 6
10
y, T1/2 [sec] Rn
3
), (1) 10
Ra
0
ay process (α- 10
he coefficients Yb
186
ental data for -3 Po Hf
10 W
en verified in Hg Pt Os
ons have been
T 1/2 (exp)/T1/2 (GN)

-6
10 186
considered to Po 186-208
10 g.s.->g.s. decays Po
α decay data 188
190
Po
increased [2– Po
cing most ex- 1
een in Fig. 1a (b)
chain, as will 0,1
ents A and B 0,34 0,36 0,38 0,40 0,42 0,44 0,46
pe series (Fig. Qa -1/2

ic chain which
 Fine structure in alpha decay

238Pu

centrifugal barrier effect

One still has to consider:

•  alpha-particle formation
•  angular momentum of
alpha particle (centrifugal
barrier effect)
 Superheavy element alpha decays
YU. TS. OGANESSIAN et al. PHYSICAL REVIEW C 87, 054621 (2013)

Phys. Rev. C 87, 054621 (2013)

 276
with this, the SF half-life for
Hs is calculated to be about
Superheavy element alpha decays TABLE
and 293 117

Z N

117 177
176
115 175
174
113 173
172
111 171
170
109 169
168
107 167
105 165
a
Number
calculatio
b
Branchin
FIG. 7. (Color online) Half-lives vs neutron number for the c
Error bar
Phys. Rev. C 87, 054621 (2013)
d
 Superallowed alpha decays

109Xe →105Te→101Sn
The inversion of the ground-
state spins between 103Sn and
101Sn is due to the strong pairing

interaction between g7/2 valence

neutrons.

Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 162502 (2010)

 Proton emitters

daughter  
proton  

"
Unbound"
states"
" 0" -"2"
quasistationary 1d3/2 orbital

Discrete" Qp=1139 keV

(bound)" εF -"4"
states"
log10|φ(r)|

-"6"
147Tm

p -"8"
r2

-"1"0"
rB

0" 2"0" 4"0" 6"0" 8"0" 1"0"0" 1"2"0" 1"4"0" 1"6"0" 1"8"0"
r (fm)

 Proton emission
7 µs 1/2+
3 µs 11/2-

4 ms 7/2-
145Tm

~2%
10%

141Ho

330 2+

0.9%

202 2+
0 keV 0+

144Er

0 keV 0+

140Dy

198 ms (10+)
1.9 µs (10+)

~1 %

480 νh11/2 x 2+

70 ms (5-)
144Tm

~30%

250 νh11/2

146Tm

270+x νh11/2 x 2+

20,15 %
180 νs1/2 x 2+

x νh11/2

0 keV νs1/2

0 keV νs1/2

145Er

143Er

 The landscape of two-proton radioactivity
E. Olsen et al,
NSCL   PRL 111, 139903 (2013); E: PRL 111, 139903 (2013)

48Ni
New  terra  incognita  

sequen3al  
2p

GSI  -­‐  FRS  

simultaneous  
31Ar β3p

ISOLDE  

6He ¦ α +  d  
 Energy - angle 2D correlation

45Fe
16
18 14

16 12

10
14
8.0
12 6.0

10 4.0

2.0
8
0
6
4
2
0.8
0.6 -1.0
-0.5
0.4 0.0 )
E/
0.5 os (θ pp
Q 2p
0.2 c
1.0

3-body model prediction Experiment