Direct Nuclear Reactions and Compound Nucleus Reactions

Direct Nuclear Reactions and Compound Nucleus Reactions
There are two extreme scenarios for nuclear reactions

 The range of nuclear forces for a very short time allowing for an interaction of a single
nucleon only. These types of reactions are called direct nuclear reactions.
 A projectile and a target nucleus are within the range of nuclear forces, allowing for
a large number of interactions between nucleons. These types of reactions are called
the compound nucleus reactions.
Direct Nuclear Reactions
Nuclear reactions that occur in a time comparable to the time of transit of an incident particle
across the nucleus (~10-22s)are called direct nuclear reactions.
There are nuclear reactions in which incident particle interact with few nucleon at the surface of
the target nucleus these reaction is called peripheral or direct nuclear reactions.
If the energy of incident particle increases its de-Broglie wavelength decreases it become more
likely interact with nucleon sized object the nucleus sized object.
The reaction has to occur at high energy to limit the time available for multiple internuclear
interactions.
Direct reactions have another very important property. Products of a direct reaction are not
distributed isotropically in angle, but they are forward-focused. This reflects that the projectiles
make only one, or very few, collisions with nucleons in the target nucleus, and its forward
momentum is not transferred to an entire compound state.
Types of direct reactions:

Elastic scattering in which a passing particle and targets stay in their ground states.
Inelastic scattering in which a passing particle changes its energy state.

For example, the (p, p’) reaction.
Transfer reactions in which one or more nucleons are transferred to the other nucleus. These
reactions are further classified as:
Stripping reaction in which one or more nucleons are transferred to a target nucleus from passing
particles. For example, the neutron stripping in the (d, p) reaction.
Pick-up reaction in which one or more nucleons are transferred from a target nucleus to a passing
particle. For example, the neutron pick-up in the (p, d) reaction.
Break-up reaction in which a breakup of a projectile into two or more fragments occurs.
Knock-out reaction in which a single nucleon or a light cluster is removed from the projectile by a
collision with the target.
Compound Nucleus Reactions

In 1936, Bohr proposed his theory of compound nucleus. According to Bohr, the nuclear reaction proceeds
through two distinct steps: (i) formation of compound nucleus C and (ii) the disintegration of compound
nucleus into the products of reaction.
Formation of compound nucleus: The compound nucleus is the intermediate state formed
in a compound nucleus reaction. It is normally one of the excited states of the nucleus formed by
the combination of the incident particle and target nucleus. The compound nucleus is excited by
both the kinetic energy of the projectile and by the binding nuclear energy.
a + X → C∗ → Y + b
where C∗ indicate the compound nucleus
The atomic and mass number s of the compounds nucleus are respectively the sum of the atomic
number and sum of the mass number of the original particle.
This energy is quickly distributed among all the nucleons of the compound nucleus due to the
interaction of these nucleons with all other the compound nucleus is therefore, in and exited state.
This compound system is a relatively long-lived intermediate state of the particle-target composite
system. From the definition, the compound nucleus must live for at least several times longer than
is the time of transit of an incident particle across the nucleus (~10 -22 s). The time scale of
compound nucleus reactions is 10-18 s – 10-16 s, but lifetimes as long as
10-14 s have also been observed.
Decay of compound nucleus giving rise to product nucleus and emitted particle
During the life time of 10-16 s of the nucleus there can always be statistical fluctuations in the
energy distribution among various nucleons. The distribution of available energy between
nucleons, therefore, takes place in a random manner. At a given instant the excitation energy may
be shared among several nucleons and at a later time it may be shared by some other nucleons, it
is also possible that the excitation energy is concentrated on one nucleons or on a group of
nucleons if this excitation energy is large enough the nucleons are the combination of nucleons
may escape and the compound nucleus may disintegrate into a product nucleus and outgoing
particle
The compound nucleus 64Zn∗ can be formed through several reaction processes, including p + 63Cu and α
+60 Ni. It can also decay in a variety of ways. Including 63Zn + n, 62Zn + 2n, and 62Cu + p + n.
That is
Resonances
The compound nucleus is the intermediate state formed in a compound nucleus reaction. It is

normally one of the excited states of the nucleus formed by the combination of the incident
particle and target nucleus. Suppose a target nucleus X is bombarded with particles a. In that
case, it is sometimes observed that the ensuing nuclear reaction takes place with appreciable
probability only if the particle’s energy is in the neighborhood of certain definite energy values.
These energy values are referred to as resonance energies. The compound nuclei of these certain
energies are referred to as nuclear resonances. Resonances are usually found only at relatively low
energies of the projectile. The widths of the resonances increase in general with increasing
energies. At higher energies, the widths may reach the order of the distances between resonances,
and then no resonances can be observed. The narrowest resonances are usually the compound
states of heavy nuclei (such as fissionable nuclei) and thermal neutrons (usually in (n,γ) capture
reactions). The observation of resonances is by no means restricted to neutron nuclear reactions.
Resonances (particular compound states) are mostly created in neutron nuclear reactions,

but it is restricted to neutron nuclear reactions. The quantum nature of nuclear forces causes
the formation of resonances. Each nuclear reaction is a transition between different quantum
discrete states or energy levels.
Direct Reactions vs. Compound Nucleus Reactions

Direct Reactions Compound Nucleus Reactions
The direct reactions are fast and involve The compound nucleus
a single-nucleon interaction reactions involve many nucleon-nucleon
interactions.
The interaction time must be very short The time scale of compound nucleus reactions
(~10-22 s). is 10-18 s – 10-16 s.
The direct reactions require incident particle The compound nucleus reactions are usually
energy larger than ∼ 5 MeV/Ap. (Ap is the created if the projectile has low energy.
atomic mass number of a projectile)
Incident particles interact on the surface of a Incident particles interact in the volume of a
target nucleus rather than in the volume of a target nucleus.
target nucleus.
Products of the direct reactions are not Products of the compound nucleus reactions
distributed isotropically in angle, but they are are distributed near isotropically in angle
forward-focused.
Direct reactions are of importance in Resonances in the cross-section are typical for
measurements of nuclear structure the compound nucleus reaction.
Artificial transmutation
Artificial transmutation is the conversion of an element into another element by bombarding it
with a fundamental particle. Artificial transmutation the particles are of not too high energy
Artificial transmutation was first carried out on Nitrogen whose nucleus was bombarded with
an α particle to produce oxygen. The element that is produced exhibits radioactivity resulting
in induced radioactivity.
Following are the particles that are used for bombardment:
 α-particle (2He4) Proton (1H1) Deuteron (1H3) Neutron (0n1)

Since α-particles, protons, and deuterons carry positively charged nuclei, they repel positively
charged nucleus and are not suitable projectiles. On the other hand, neutrons possess no charge
at all and are considered to be the best projectiles. When a neutron bombards a target element,
the resulting product depends upon the speed of the neutrons. Slow neutrons penetrate the
nucleus while high-speed neutrons pass through the nucleus. The slow neutrons are known as
thermal neutrons and are more effective than the high-speed neutrons in producing nuclear
reactions.
Following are some of the examples of artificial transmutation:
Transmutation by protons
When a nuclear reaction is induced by an proton particles compound nucleus so formed may
break up by the emission of different types of particles e.g. (p α) (p n) (p d) ( p ϑ ¿ Etc.
(p α) Reaction: The general formula ( p α) Reaction is
A 1 A +1 A−1 4
X Z+ 1H → Z +1 C *→ Z−1Y → 2He
The artificial transmutation produced by Cockoft and Walton in 1932 on 73 Li

7
3 Li +11 H → 84 Be* → 42He +42He
(p n) Reaction: The general formula ( p n) Reaction is
A 1 A +1 A+1 1
X Z+ 1H → Z +1 C *→ Z+1Y → 0n
The residual nucleus is isobaric i.e. having same A with the target nucleus with Z value one higher .
11 1 12 11 1
5 B +1 H → 6C * → 6C +0n
(p d) Reaction: The general formula (p d) Reaction is
A 1 A −1 2
X Z+ 1H → Z Y →1H
These reactions are common with heavier elements and protons of fairly high energy.
9
4 Be +11 H → 84 Be +21 H
(p ϑ ) Reaction: The general formula ( p ϑ ) Reaction is
A 1 A +1 A+1
X Z+ 1H → Z +1 C *→ Z+1C → ϑ
In (p ϑ ) the emitted ϑ – ray have very energy
12
6 C +11 H → 137 N * → 137 N +ϑ

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Direct Nuclear Reactions and Compound Nucleus Reactions

There are two extreme scenarios for nuclear reactions

Types of direct reactions:

Inelastic scattering in which a passing particle changes its energy state.

Compound Nucleus Reactions

The compound nucleus is the intermediate state formed in a compound nucleus reaction. It is

Resonances (particular compound states) are mostly created in neutron nuclear reactions,

Direct Reactions vs. Compound Nucleus Reactions

 α-particle (2He4) Proton (1H1) Deuteron (1H3) Neutron (0n1)

The artificial transmutation produced by Cockoft and Walton in 1932 on 73 Li

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