Preformation of alpha-clusters in alpha-decay

Abstract

Comprehensive cluster-model analyses of all decay cases show that the probability of clustering in most α-decaying states is close to unity. Although early shell-model results for the preformation probability grossly undershot this value and the α-decay width accordingly, more recent sophisticated microscopic structure calculations are in agreement with this observation, except that of a complex-energy shell model. I review the relavant shell model calculations in an attempt to pinpoint the crucial ingredients, which are likely to be responsible for this disagreement.