Excitation function for the production of {sup 262}Bh (Z=107) in the odd-Z-projectile reaction {sup 208}Pb({sup 55}Mn, n)

The excitation function for production of {sup 262}Bh in the odd-Z-projectile reaction {sup 208}Pb({sup 55}Mn, n) has been measured at three projectile energies using the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron. In total, 33 decay chains originating from {sup 262}Bh and 2 decay chains originating from {sup 261}Bh were observed. The measured decay properties are in good agreement with previous reports. The maximum cross section of 540{sub -150}{sup +180} pb is observed at a lab-frame center-of-target energy of 264.0 MeV and is more than five times larger than that expected based on previously reported results for production of {sup 262}Bh in the analogous even-Z-projectile reaction {sup 209}Bi({sup 54}Cr, n). Our results indicate that the optimum beam energy in one-neutron-out heavy-ion fusion reactions can be estimated simply using the optimum energy rule proposed by SwiaPtecki, Siwek-Wilczynska, and Wilczynski.