Probing cluster structures through sub-barrier transfer reactions

Multinucleon transfer probabilities and excitation energy distributions have been measured in 16,18O, 19F + 208Pb at energies between 90% - 100% of the Coulomb barrier. A strong 2p2n enhancement is observed for all reactions, though most spectacularly in the 18O induced reaction. Results are interpreted in terms of the Semiclassical model, which seems to suggest α-cluster transfer in all studied systems. The relation to cluster-states in the projectile is discussed, with the experimental results consistent with previous structure studies. Dissipation of energy in the collisions of 18O is compared between different reaction modes, with cluster transfer associated with dissipation over a large number of internal states. Cluster transfer is shown to be a long range dissipation mechanism, which will inform the development of future models to treat these dynamic processes in reactions.