Deformed Potential Energy of ²⁶³Db in a Generalized Liquid Drop Model

The macroscopic deformed potential energy for super-heavy nuclei ²⁶³Db, which governs the entrance and alpha decay channels, is determined within a generalized liquid drop model (GLDM). A quasi-molecular shape is assumed in the GLDM, which includes the volume-, surface-, and Coulomb-energies, the proximity effects, the mass asymmetry, and an accurate nuclear radius. The microscopic single particle energies are derived from a shell model in an axially deformed Woods-Saxon potential with the quasi-molecular shape. The shell correction is calculated by the Strutinsky method. The total deformed potential energy of a nucleus can be calculated by the macro-microscopic method as the summation of the liquid-drop energy and the Strutinsky shell correction. The theory is applied to predict the deformed potential energy of the experiment ²²DNe + ²⁴¹Am → ²⁶³Db^* → ²⁵⁹Db + 4n, which was performed on the Heavy Ion Accelerator in Lanzhou. It is found that the neck in the quasi-molecular shape is responsible for the deep valley of the fusion barrier due to the shell corrections. In the cold fusion path, the double-hump fusion barrier is predicted by the shell correction and complete fusion events may occur.