Calculations of widths in the problem of decay by proton emission

Abstract

We develop a new fully quantum method for determination of widths for nuclear decay by proton emission where multiple internal reflections of wave packet describing tunneling process inside proton--nucleus radial barrier are taken into account. Exact solutions for amplitudes of wave function, penetrability $T$ and reflection $R$ are found for $n$-step barrier (at arbitrary $n$) which approximates the realistic barrier. In contrast to semiclassical approach and two-potential approach, we establish by this method essential dependence of the penetrability on the starting point $R_{\rm form}$ in the internal well where proton starts to move outside (for example, for $^{157}_{73}{\rm Ta}$ the penetrability is changed up to 200 times; accuracy is $|T+R-1| < 1.5 \cdot 10^{-15}$). We impose a new condition: in the beginning of the proton decay the proton starts to move outside from minimum of the well. Such a condition provides minimal calculated half-life and gives stable basis for predictions. However, the half-lives calculated by such an approach turn out to be a little closer to experimental data in comparison with the semiclassical half-lives. Estimated influence of the external barrier region is up to 1.5 times for changed penetrability.