Molecular-orbital study of late-fission times in deep-inelastic 238U+238U collisions

The U-like K-vacancy production probability in 7.5-MeV/nucleon deep-inelastic 238U+238U collisions has been measured for no-fission, single-fission, and double-fission exit channels. The results are interpreted using quasimolecular orbital correlations for diatomic and triatomic configurations. This leads to the determination of lower limits for the time scale for late fission of U-like products (≥8 and ≥4 as) and their probability (≥77% and ≥52%), at mean initial-excitation energies of ∼40 and ∼105 MeV, respectively