Probing the cluster structure of 6Li with the 6Li + 12C nuclear reaction at 68 MeV

This study presents a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the 6Li + 12C nuclear reaction at a laboratory energy of 68 MeV. The reaction products are identified via the standard –E technique. Angular distributions are constructed for the elastic, inelastic, and deuteron transfer channels by detecting emitted particles – 6Li and α. Elastic and inelastic scattering of 6Li off 12C are analyzed using the optical model and coupled channels approaches, with the interaction described by a double-folding potential. This potential is calculated based on the three-body wave function of 6Li. Pronounced coupled-channel effects that modify the potential and allow accurate reproduction of the experimental cross sections are observed. The resulting polarized potentials provide a more precise description of the initial-state interaction for further reaction modeling. The deuteron transfer channel, 12C(6Li, α)14N, is studied using the coupled reaction channels method. The coupling between the transfer and elastic channels is implemented using the three-body wave function of 6Li. As an alternative, a regular wave function constructed with a phenomenological Woods–Saxon potential is also employed. Comparison between the calculated differential cross sections and experimental data reveals a more complex and nuanced reaction mechanism, which supports the cluster structure of 6Li.