Systematics of α-decay fine structure in odd-mass nuclei based on a finite-range nucleon-nucleon interaction

A systematic study on α-decay fine structure is presented for odd-mass nuclei in the range 83≤Z≤92. The α-decay partial half-lives and branching ratios to the ground and excited states of daughter nuclei are calculated in the framework of the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation with the implementation of the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition. The microscopic α-daughter potential is obtained using the double-folding model with a realistic M3Y-Paris nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction. The exchange potential, which accounts for the knock-on exchange of nucleons between the interacting nuclei, is calculated using the finite-range exchange NN interaction which is essentially a much better approximation as compared to the zero-range pseudo-potential adopted in the usual double-folding calculations. Our calculations of α-decay fine structure have been improved by considering the preformation factor extracted from the recently proposed cluster formation model on basis of the binding energy difference. The computed partial half-lives and branching ratios are compared with the recent experimental data and they are in good agreement.