Structural and decay properties of Z = 132, 138 superheavy nuclei

Abstract.In this paper, we analyze the structural properties of Z = 132 and Z = 138 superheavy nuclei within the ambit of axially deformed relativistic mean-field framework with NL3 * parametrization and calculate the total binding energies, radii, quadrupole deformation parameter, separation energies, density distributions. We also investigate the phenomenon of shape coexistence by performing the calculations for prolate, oblate and spherical configurations. For clear presentation of nucleon distributions, the two-dimensional contour representation of individual nucleon density and total matter density has been made. Further, a competition between possible decay modes such as $\alpha$α-decay, $\beta$β-decay and spontaneous fission of the isotopic chain of superheavy nuclei with Z = 132 within the range $ 312 \le A \le 392$312≤A≤392 and $318 \le A \le 398$318≤A≤398 for Z = 138 is systematically analyzed within self-consistent relativistic mean-field model. From our analysis, we inferred that the $\alpha$α-decay and spontaneous fission are the principal modes of decay in majority of the isotopes of superheavy nuclei under investigation apart from $\beta$β-decay as dominant mode of decay in 318-322138 isotopes.