Fusion with weakly bound nuclei

The availability of exotic nuclei far from the line of stability as beams has focused attention on the study of their special structure and its influence on the reactions involving these exotic species. The influence of projectile breakup on fusion reactions at energies around the barrier is hotly debated due to the seemingly contrasting behavior predicted i.e. enhancement or suppression due to breakup? We have tried to resolve this discrepancy by the analysis of the existing experimental data including our measurement of fusion cross section and average angular momentum for the 7Li + 165Ho system. In a simplistic coupled channel framework we have shown that the influence of projectile breakup on fusion is like coupling to a strong inelastic channel leading to enhancement of cross section below and suppression above the barrier. (author)