Investigating neutron transfer in the Be 9 + Au 197 system

In this work $\mathit{n}$-transfer and incomplete fusion cross sections for the $^{9}\mathrm{Be}+^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ system are reported over a wide energy range, ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}\ensuremath{\approx}29\text{\ensuremath{-}}45$ MeV. The experiment was carried out using the activation technique and off-line $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ counting. The transfer process is found to be the dominant mode as compared to all other reaction channels. Detailed coupled reaction channel (CRC) calculations have been performed for $\mathit{n}$-transfer stripping and pickup cross sections. The measured $1\mathit{n}$-stripping cross sections are explained with CRC calculations by including the ground state and the ${2}^{+}$ resonance state ($E=3.03$ MeV) of $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$. The calculations for $1\mathit{n}$-pickup cross sections, including only the ground state of $^{10}\mathrm{Be}$ agrees reasonably well with the measured cross sections, while it overpredicts the data at subbarrier energies. For better insight into the role of the projectile structure in the transfer process, a comprehensive analysis of the $1\mathit{n}$-stripping reaction has been carried out for various weakly bound projectiles on a $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ target nucleus. The transfer cross sections scaled with the square of the total radius of interacting nuclei show the expected $Q$-value dependence of the $1\mathit{n}$-stripping channel for weakly bound stable projectiles.