From α-decay to exotic decays - a unified model

The possibility of extending the microscopic α-decay theory to exotic decay modes is investigated. It is argued that the strong Pauli distortions in the antisymmetrized wave function of the open channel favour this possibility. The microscopic description can be reduced to a one-body picture; the structure information is then contained in a spectroscopy factor. Existing microscopic calculations from α- up to 16O-decays justify a simple unified bulk formula for the spectroscopic factor. In this way a semiempirical formula for the decay constant is obtained depending on 1 parameter only (for odd and even nuclei, respectively). This formula describes all decay modes in a unified way and yields an excellent reproduction of the known decay rates. It is thus well-suited for the unambiguous prediction of yet unmeasured decay constants. (orig.)