Exotic fission properties of highly neutron-rich Uranium isotopes

Abstract

The series of Uranium isotopes with $N=154 \sim 172$ around the magic number N=162/164 are identified to be thermally fissile. The thermal neutron fission of a typical representative $^{249}$U of this region amenable to synthesis in the radioactive ion beam facilities is considered here. Semiempirical study of fission barrier height and width shows this nucleus to be infinitely stable against spontaneous fission due to increase in barrier width arising out of excess neutrons. Calculation of probability of fragment mass yields and microscopic study in relativistic mean field theory, show this nucleus to undergo a new mode of thermal fission decay termed {\it multifragmentation fission} where a number of prompt scission neutrons are simultaneously released along with the two heavy fission fragments.