Nuclear charge dispersion of light-mass fission products in the fission of 235U and 238U by medium-energy protons

Abstract

Independent fission yields for 90Ym, 90Ym+g, 91Ym, 91Ym+g, and 92Y and cumulative yields for 91Sr, 92Sr, and 93Y in the fission of 235U and 238U by protons of energy from 20–85 MeV have been determined. Excitation functions and charge dispersion curves have been obtained. The most probable charge, Zp, moves closer to stability, ZA, with increasing energy. The values of ZA − Zp for the two fissioning systems are identical, unlike the situation in the heavy-mass region. The values of ZA − Zp for the light- and heavy-mass regions differ considerably, showing that the equal charge displacement hypothesis does not hold even at these moderate energies.