Mass distributions of the system 136Xe+208Pb at laboratory energies around the Coulomb barrier: A candidate reaction for the production of neutron-rich nuclei at N=126

Abstract

Reaction products from the system 136Xe+208Pb at 136Xe ions laboratory energies of 700, 870, and 1020 MeV were studied by two-body kinematics and by a catcher-foil activity analysis to explore the theoretically proposed suitability of such reaction as a means to produce neutron-rich nuclei in the neutron shell closure N=126. Cross sections for products heavier than 208Pb were measured and were found sensibly larger than new theoretical predictions. Transfers of up to 16 nucleons from Xe to Pb were observed. © 2012 American Physical Society.