α-particle production in the scattering of 6He by 208Pb at energies around the Coulomb barrier

New experimental data from the scattering of 6He + 208Pb at energies around and below the Coulomb barrier are presented. The yield of breakup products coming from projectile fragmentation is dominated by a strong group of α particles. The energy and angular distribution of this group have been analyzed and compared with theoretical calculations. This analysis indicates that the α particles emitted at backward angles in this reaction are mainly due to two-neutron transfer to weakly bound states of the final nucleus.