A new insight in the decay modes of heavy nuclei

Fission approach to the theory of heavy-particle radioactivities and α-decay, we developed in cooperation with D.N. Poenaru, is briefly reviewed. The potential energy surface for 222Ra versus the separation distance between fragments and the mass asymmetry shows the fission and cluster decay valleys produced by the shell effects due to the 132Sn and 208Pb heavy fragments. The potential barrier for 14C radioactivity of 222Ra is obtained by using the macroscopic-microscopic method. The experimentally determined half-lives of cluster emitters are in good agreement with our predictions within the analytical superasymmetric fission (ASAF) model. The α-decay half-lives calculated by three fission models (ASAF, universal curve and a semiempirical formula taking into account the magic numbers) are very close to the experimental ones in the whole nuclear chart, including superheavy nuclei.(author)