Linear momentum transfer and light particle emission in the E/A = 25 MeV /sup 6/Li+/sup 238/U reaction

Inclusive measurements of the linear momentum transfer distribution and exclusive studies of light-charged particles as a function of linear momentum transfer have been performed for the reaction of 150-MeV /sup 6/Li ions with /sup 238/U. Linear momentum transfer properties and an upper limit for the complete fusion cross section for this system were deduced from the folding angle between binary fission events and found to be consistent with data for heavier complex projectiles. The exclusive light-charged-particle data demonstrate the existence of fission following the transfer of all possible subdivisions of the /sup 6/Li projectile, as well as inelastic scattering. Absorptive breakup involving /sup 4/He-/sup 2/H cluster structure is found to be the dominant reaction mechanism. In addition, substantial yields of energetic protons associated with full linear momentum transfer are observed in the backward hemisphere. However, the temperature inferred from these spectra is nearly three times as large as that for a fully equilibrated compound nucleus, suggesting a nonequilibrium source for these particles.