Systematic study on α-decay half-lives of uranium isotopes with a screened electrostatic barrier*

Abstract

Abstract In the present work, we systematically study the α-decay half-lives of uranium (Z=92) isotopes based on the Gamow model with a screened electrostatic barrier. There are only two adjustable parameters in our model i.e. the parameter g and the screening parameter t in the Hulthen potential for considering the screened electrostatic effect of the Coulomb potential. The calculated results are in good agreement with experimental data, and the corresponding root-mean-square (rms) deviations of uranium isotopes with α transition orbital angular momentum l=0 and l=2 are 0.141 and 0.340, respectively. Moreover, we extend this model to predict α-decay half-lives of uranium isotopes whose α decay is energetically allowed or observed but not yet quantified in NUBASE2020. For comparison, the modified Hatsukawa formula (XLZ), the unified Royer formula (DZR), the universal decay law (UDL) and the Viola–Seaborg–Sobiczewski formula (VSS) are also used. The predictions are basically consistent with each other. Meanwhile, the results also indicate that N=126 shell closure is still robust at Z=92 and the spectroscopic factor is almost the same for uranium isotopes with the same l.