arXiv subjects

A. Chbihi

Publications and source records attributed to A. Chbihi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Neutron dynamics in the fusion of neutron-rich O ions with $^{12}$C

The fusion excitation function for $^{21}$O + $^{12}$C was measured for the first time and compared to the fusion of less neutron-rich isotopes. The impact of valence neutrons in the d$_{5/2}$ shell on the fusion excitation function is examined. The experimental data manifest a clear dependence of the extracted barrier height, V$_B$, and barrier position, R$_B$ on neutron excess. To assess the role of dynamics the experimental data are compared with both density constrained frozen Hartree Fock (DCFHF) and density constrained time-dependent Hartree Fock (DCTDHF) theories.

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arXiv2025

Impact of the in-medium cross section on cluster spectra in ${}^{40,48}\mathrm{Ca}+{}^{58,64}\mathrm{Ni}$ collisions at $56$ and $140$ $\mathbf{\mathrm{MeV}}/\mathrm{\mathbf{nucleon}}$

Although significant efforts have been made to investigate the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy, the influence of the in-medium cross section on particle production in transport models is not well constrained. The in-medium cross section reflects the dynamic situation of the medium such as a nontrivial phase space distribution. In this study, we analyze the transverse momentum spectra of $p$, $d$, $t$, ${}^3{\mathrm{He}}$ and $\alpha$ particles emitted near mid-rapidity in central $^{40,48}\mathrm{Ca}$ + $^{58, 64}\mathrm{Ni}$ reactions at $56$ and $140$ $\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}$. The Antisymmetrized Molecular Dynamics ($\mathrm{AMD}$) model is chosen as the transport model for data comparison. Central events are selected based on charged-particle multiplicity in both the experimental data and AMD calculations after applying an experimental filter. Our results show that the in-medium nucleon-nucleon scattering cross-sections are more strongly reduced at $56$ $\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}$ than at $140$ $\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}$ incident energy.

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arXiv2025

Observation of oscillations and near-barrier suppression in the fusion of $^{20}$O + p

Using an active target detector, the fusion excitation function for $^{20}$O + $^1$H was measured for the first time. Near the barrier, the fusion cross section manifests an oscillatory behavior with broad peaks $\sim$50-100 keV wide. The presence of these peaks likely reflects the low density of low-angular-momentum states in the quasibound regime. R-matrix coupled channel (CC) calculations that include the first excited 2$^+$ state in $^{20}$O are able to reproduce the observed oscillations. However, one channel CC calculations fail to reproduce the decrease in the sub-barrier cross section experimentally observed.

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arXiv2025

Nuclear clustering process in heavy-ion collisions : experimental constraints on the low-temperature region of the QCD phase diagram

In this article, we study the production of Hydrogen and Helium isotopes in heavy-ion collisions in the incident energy range between 80 and 150 MeV/nucleon. We compare their inclusive multiplicities emitted in the transverse plane of the reaction with the predictions given by the thermal model. As a first step, we validate the choice of this approach to describe the experimental measurements. We also show that the transient states have to be explicitly taken into account for a good statistical description of the experimental multiplicities. From the thermodynamical parameter values obtained we complete the existing database built with the use of thermal-statistical models to reproduce particle production in the (ultra-)relativistic-energy measurements. We then proposed a new constraint on the so-called freeze-out region in the temperature (T) versus baryonic chemical potential (muB) phase diagram of the quantum chromodynamics. These new results indicate that there is a common framework to describe the hadron production and nuclear clustering processes in heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2025

Resonant suppression of the above-barrier fusion cross-section in $^{19}$O + $^{12}$C

Fusion excitation functions for $^{19}$O and $^{19}$F + $^{12}$C were simultaneously measured along with $^{20}$O + $^{12}$C using the active-target detector MuSIC@Indiana. Examination of the cross-section just above the barrier reveals a significant suppression of fusion for the $^{19}$O + $^{12}$C system at E$_{c.m.}$~12 MeV. This suppression may be due to the formation of a transient $^{18}$O-n-$^{12}$C molecule-like complex favored at a particular angular momentum. Mean-field level models are used as a reference to understand the measured fusion excitation functions.

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arXiv2025

Deconstructing the emission order of protons, neutrons and $\alpha$-particles following fusion in $^{28,30,32}$Si + $^{28}$Si

A high-quality measurement of proton and $\alpha$-particle emission associated with fusion of $^{28,30,32}$Si with a $^{28}$Si target is described. Evaporation residues produced by de-excitation of the compound nucleus were identified by an energy time-of-flight (ETOF) measurement while emitted light-charged particles were identified using the $\Delta$E-E technique. Comparison of the experimentally measured charged particle multiplicities and energy spectra with the predictions of the statistical decay model code, GEMINI++, allows one to deduce interesting details of the de-excitation cascade and its dependence on neutron-excess. The impact of modifying the sequence of particle emissions on the average energy and multiplicity is examined.

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arXiv2024

Model-independent measurement of isospin diffusion in Ni-Ni systems at intermediate energy

In this work we provide a model-independent experimental evaluation of the degree of isospin equilibration taking place in $^{58,64}$Ni+$^{58,64}$Ni collisions at 32 MeV/nucleon across varying reaction centralities. This result has been obtained by combining the complementary information provided by two different datasets, sharing common characteristics. The first dataset has been acquired with the INDRA setup and has been used to implement a model-independent reconstruction of the impact parameter. The second dataset has been acquired in the first experimental campaign of the coupled INDRA-FAZIA apparatus at GANIL. The neutron-to-proton content of the quasiprojectile remnant measured by FAZIA has been employed as isospin observable. The effect of isospin diffusion has been evidenced by means of the isospin transport ratio, reported as a function of the impact parameter of the collision. The evolution towards isospin equilibration from semiperipheral to more central collisions is clearly extracted. This experimental result, expanding our previous works (Phys. Rev. C 106, 024603 (2022) and Phys. Rev. C 108, 054611 (2023)), can be compared with the predictions of any transport model, and can thus be used to set constraints on the behavior of the symmetry energy term of the nuclear Equation of State at sub- to saturation densities.

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arXiv2024

Cluster production in Xe + Sn collisions between 65-150 MeV/nucleon

Characterization of the participant-zone (PZ) in the $^{129,124}$Xe + $^{112,124}$Sn reaction at the energy range 65-150 MeV/nucleon reveals copious cluster production. A detailed study of the chemical composition as a function of the impact parameter shows that heavier clusters ($^6$He, $^{6-8}$Li, $^{7-10}$Be...) are most likely produced for central collisions. A hierarchy of the cluster production with the neutron-richness of the total system is observed, suggesting a full mixing of the projectile and target in the PZ. An estimate of the maximum density in central collisions has been deduced from the kinetic energy of the emitted fragments, reaching almost 2 time the normal density (2$\rho_0$) at 150 MeV/nucleon.

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arXiv2024

Isospin diffusion from $^{40,48}$Ca$+^{40,48}$Ca experimental data at Fermi energies: Direct comparisons with transport model calculations

This article presents an investigation of isospin equilibration in cross-bombarding $^{40,48}$Ca$+^{40,48}$Ca reactions at 35 MeV/nucleon, by comparing experimental data with filtered transport model calculations. Isospin diffusion is studied using the evolution of the isospin transport ratio with centrality. The asymmetry parameter $δ=(N-Z)/A$ of the quasiprojectile (QP) residue is used as isospin-sensitive observable, while a recent method for impact parameter reconstruction is used for centrality sorting. A benchmark of global observables is proposed to assess the relevance of the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) model, coupled to GEMINI++, in the study of dissipative collisions. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering cluster formation to reproduce observables used for isospin transport and centrality studies. Within the AMD model, we prove the applicability of the impact parameter reconstruction method, enabling a direct comparison to the experimental data for the investigation of isospin diffusion. For both, we evidence a tendency to isospin equilibration with an impact parameter decreasing from 9 to 3 fm, while the full equilibration is not reached. A weak sensitivity to the stiffness of the equation of state employed in the model is also observed, with a better reproduction of the experimental trend for the neutron-rich reactions.

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arXiv2023

Influence of additional neutrons on the fusion cross-section beyond the N=8 shell

Fusion enhancement for neutron-rich isotopes of oxygen on carbon nuclei was probed. To measure the fusion cross-section a $^{20}$O beam accelerated to E$_{lab}$/A=2.7 MeV bombarded the active-target detector MuSIC@Indiana with a fill gas of CH$_4$. Examination of the average fusion cross-section over the interval 12 MeV $\leq$E$_{c.m.}$$\leq$ 17 MeV for $^{16-20}$O + $^{12}$C reveals that while even isotopes of oxygen exhibit essentially the same cross-section, the cross-section for odd isotopes can be either enhanced or suppressed relative to the even A members of the isotopic chain. Theoretical models fail to explain the observed experimental results.

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arXiv2023

Neutrons from projectile fragmentation at 600 MeV/nucleon

The neutron emission in projectile fragmentation at relativistic energies was studied with the Large-Area-Neutron-Detector LAND coupled to the ALADIN forward spectrometer at the GSI Schwerionen-Synchrotron (SIS). Stable 124Sn and radioactive 107Sn and 124La beams with an incident energy of 600 MeV/nucleon were used to explore the N/Z dependence of the identified neutron source. A cluster-recognition algorithm is applied for identifying individual particles within the hit distributions registered with LAND. The obtained momentum distributions are extrapolated over the full phase space occupied by the neutrons from the projectile-spectator source. The mean multiplicities of spectator neutrons reach values of up to about 11 and depend strongly on the isotopic composition of the projectile. An effective source temperature of T \approx 2-5 MeV, monotonically increasing with decreasing impact parameter, is deduced from the transverse momentum distributions. For the interpretation of the data, calculations with the statistical multifragmentation model were performed. The variety of excited projectile spectators assumed to decay statistically is represented by an ensemble of excited sources with parameters determined previously from the fragment production observed in the same experiments. The obtained agreement is very satisfactory for more peripheral collisions where, according to the model, neutrons are mainly emitted during the secondary decays of excited fragments. The neutron multiplicity in more central collisions is underestimated, indicating that other sources besides the modeled statistical breakup contribute to the observed neutron yield. The choice made for the symmetry-term coefficient of the liquid-drop description of produced fragments has a weak effect on the predicted neutron multiplicities.

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arXiv2023

Quasiprojectile breakup and isospin equilibration at Fermi energies: an indication of longer projectile-target contact times?

An investigation of the quasiprojectile breakup channel in semiperipheral and peripheral collisions of $^{58,64}$Ni+$^{58,64}$Ni at 32 and 52 MeV/nucleon is presented. Data have been acquired in the first experimental campaign of the INDRA-FAZIA apparatus in GANIL. The effect of isospin diffusion between projectile and target in the two asymmetric reactions has been highlighted by means of the isospin transport ratio technique, exploiting the neutron-to-proton ratio of the quasiprojectile reconstructed from the two breakup fragments. We found evidence that, for the same reaction centrality, a higher degree of relaxation of the initial isospin imbalance is achieved in the breakup channel with respect to the more populated binary output, possibly indicating the indirect selection of specific dynamical features. We have proposed an interpretation based on different average projectile-target contact times related to the two exit channels under investigation, with a longer interaction for the breakup channel. The time information has been extracted from AMD simulations of the studied systems coupled to GEMINI++: the model calculations support the hypothesis hereby presented.

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arXiv2023

Examination of cluster production in excited light systems at Fermi energies from new experimental data and comparison with transport model calculations

Four different reactions, $^{32}$S+$^{12}$C and $^{20}$Ne+$^{12}$C at 25 and 50 MeV/nucleon, have been measured with the FAZIA detector capable of full isotopic identification of most forward emitted reaction products. Fragment multiplicities, angular distributions and energy spectra have been measured and compared with Monte Carlo simulations, i.e. the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) and the heavy-ion phase space exploration (HIPSE) models. These models are combined with two different afterburner codes (HF$l$ and SIMON) to describe the decay of the excited primary fragments. In the case of AMD, the effect of including the clustering and inter-clustering processes to form bound particles and fragments is discussed. A clear confirmation of the role of cluster aggregation in the reaction dynamics and particle production for these light systems, for which the importance of the clustering process increases with bombarding energy, is obtained.

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arXiv2023

Characterization of the breakup channel in the asymmetric systems $^{40,48}$Ca+$^{12}$C at 25 and 40 MeV/nucleon

An analysis of the asymmetric reactions $^{40,48}$Ca+$^{12}$C at 25 and 40 MeV/nucleon is presented. Data have been collected with six modules of the FAZIA array. The analysis is focused on the breakup channel of sources produced in dissipative collisions, partially corresponding to incomplete fusion processes. The study has been performed both on detected fragments and on some resonances reconstructed by means of particle-fragment correlations, with a focus on the evolution of the breakup channel with the beam energy and the neutron content of the system, looking in particular at the relative velocity between the breakup fragments. Results show that also Carbon fragments reconstructed by means of particle correlations can be in large part interpreted as the light partner of a scission.

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arXiv2022

Experimental study of the isospin transport with 40,48 Ca+ 40,48 Ca reactions at 35 MeV/nucleon

We investigate the isospin transport with 40,48 Ca+ 40,48 Ca reactions at 35 MeV/nucleon, measured with the coupling of the VAMOS high acceptance spectrometer and the INDRA charged particle multidetector. Using the quasi-projectile remnant measured with VAMOS and carefully selected light-charged-particles measured in coincidence with INDRA, a reconstruction method is applied to estimate the excited quasi-projectile (QP) on an event-by-event basis. The isospin diffusion is investigated using the isospin transport ratio with the asymmetry $δ$ = (N -- Z)/A of the projectile as an isospin-sensitive observable and the total transverse energy of Z $\le$ 2 nuclei for experimental centrality sorting. The experimental isospin transport ratios present, for both the reconstructed QP and its remnant, a clear evolution towards isospin equilibration with increasing dissipation of the collision while the full equilibration is not reached. A smoother evolution with less discrepancies between the two mixed systems in the case of the reconstructed QP is also observed. The isospin migration is investigated using the neutron-to-proton ratio of the light-charged-clusters and the velocity of the QP remnant as a sorting parameter. More particularly, we focused on an angular region centered around the mid-rapidity of the reaction so as to characterize the low-density neck emissions. A systematic neutron-enrichment is observed and interpreted as a consequence of isospin migration, more particularly for the symmetric systems which present no isospin gradient between the projectile and the target. We also noticed that the ^{2}H and ^{4}He particles exhibit very close multiplicities independently of the sorting variable for the symmetric systems.

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arXiv2022

Experimental study of the $^{40,48}$Ca+ $^{40,48}$Ca reactions at 35 MeV/nucleon

In this article we investigate $^{40,48}$Ca+$^{40,48}$Ca peripheral and semi-peripheral reactions at 35 MeV/nucleon. Data were obtained using the unique coupling of the VAMOS high acceptance spectrometer and the INDRA charged particle multidetector.The spectrometer allowed high resolution measurement of charge, mass and velocity of the cold projectile-like fragment (PLF), while the INDRA detector recorded coincident charged particles with nearly $4π$ acceptance.The measured isotopic composition of the PLF identified in VAMOS and the average light charged particle (LCP) multiplicities are promising observables to study the isospin diffusion.The detection of the PLF in coincidence with LCP allows the reconstruction of the mass, charge and excitation energy of the associated initial quasi-projectile nuclei (QP), as well as the extraction of apparent temperatures.We investigate the suitability of the isoscaling method with the PLF and the experimental reconstructed QP.The extracted $α$ and $Δ$ isoscaling parameters present a dependence on the considered system combination that could justify their use as a surrogate for isospin asymmetry in isospin transport studies.The reconstruction of the QP allows to observe an evolution of the $α/Δ$ with the size of the QP, the latter being consistent with a strong surface contribution to the symmetry energy term in finite nuclei. This leads to the conclusion that the reconstruction of the primary source is mandatory for the study of the symmetry energy term based on the isoscaling method for such reactions.

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arXiv2022

Proton and neutron exchange as a prelude to fusion at near-barrier energies

Systematic examination of fusion for $^{39,41,45,47}$K + $^{28}$Si and $^{36,44}$Ar + $^{28}$Si provides insight into the impact of neutron and proton exchange on fusion for nuclei at and near the N=20 and N=28 shells. Comparison of the reduced excitation functions reveals a marked difference between the behavior of open-shell and closed-shell systems. While coupled channels calculations provide a good description for the closed-shell nuclei they significantly under-predict the fusion cross-section for open-shell nuclei. The observed trends are examined in the context of a potential energy surface, including shell effects, and multi-nucleon exchange with consideration of Pauli-blocking.

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arXiv2022

First results from the INDRA-FAZIA apparatus on isospin diffusion in $^{58,64}$Ni+$^{58,64}$Ni systems at Fermi energies

An investigation of the isospin equilibration process in the reactions $^{58,64}$Ni+$^{58,64}$Ni at two bombarding energies in the Fermi regime ($32\,$MeV/nucleon and $52\,$MeV/nucleon) is presented. Data have been acquired during the first experimental campaign of the coupled INDRA-FAZIA apparatus in GANIL. Selecting from peripheral to semi-central collisions, both the neutron content of the quasiprojectile residue and that of the light ejectiles coming from the quasiprojectile evaporation have been used as probes of the dynamical process of isospin diffusion between projectile and target for the asymmetric systems. The isospin transport ratio technique has been employed. The relaxation of the initial isospin imbalance with increasing centrality has been clearly evidenced. The isospin equilibration appears stronger for the reactions at $32\,$MeV/nucleon, as expected due to the longer projectile-target interaction time than at $52\,$MeV/nucleon. Coherent indications of isospin equilibration come from the quasiprojectile residue characteristics and from particles ascribed to the quasiprojectile decay.

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