Consistent Treatment of (α, x) Reaction Cross Sections and α-particle Emission Particularly in Fast–neutron Induced Reactions

The high–precision recent measurements of α-particle induced–reaction data below the Coulomb barrier make possible the understanding of actual limits and possible improvement of the α-particle optical–model potentials. An updated optical potential is thus provided for α-particles on nuclei within the mass number range 45⩽A⩽197, below the Coulomb barrier. The results that could be obtained by using this potential within analysis of the α-particle emission in fast–neutron induced reaction at low energies are moreover discussed.