Elastic scattering of 7Li + 27Al at several angles in the 7-11 MeV energy range

Elastic cross sections for the 7Li + 27Al system were measured at laboratory energies between 7 and 11 MeV in steps of 0.25 MeV, and angles between 135° and 170° in steps of 5°. Excitation functions for the elastic scattering were measured using an array of eight Si surface-barrier detectors whereas a solid-state telescope was used to estimate and subtract background from other reactions. Contamination from α particles arising from the 7Li breakup process at Elab ⩾ 10 MeV makes the use of these energies inadvisable for RBS applications. The present results are compared with previous data obtained at 165° (Elab ⩽ 6 MeV), 140° and 170° (Elab ⩽ 8 MeV). The experimental data were analyzed in terms of the Optical Model. Two different energy-independent potentials were found. These optical potentials allow an interpolation with physical meaning to other energies and scattering angles. The experimental cross sections will be uploaded to the IBANDL database.