Investigation of incomplete fusion dynamics below ≈ 8 MeV/nucleon energies

The probability of ICF process comes into existence when the driving input angular momentum (ℓ) of projectile crosses the critical limit (ℓ_critical) for CF. Above critical angular momentum (ℓ_critical), ICF of the projectile with the target nucleus occurs, leading to the evolution of excited composite nucleus with lower charge, mass and excitation energy as compared to the excited compound system formed via CF process. Some of the theoretical models to explain the ICF dynamics are break-up fusion model, sum rule model, exciton model, hot-spot model and Promptly Emitted Particle (PEP) model. These models can fit the experimental ICF data above 10 MeV/nucleon, but none of the models is currently available which can accurately reproduce the ICF data below 3-7 MeV/nucleon. Thus due to unavailability of any theoretical model, the study of heavy ion reactions below 7 MeV/nucleon is still an active area of investigation. In this respect, the excitation functions for ¹⁸O + ¹⁷⁵Lu system have been studied covering the energy range from E_lab ≈ 73-100 MeV