<i>α</i> decay properties of superheavy nuclei based on optimized <i>α</i> decay energies*

Abstract In this study, the accuracy of the Finite-Range Droplet Model 2012 (FRDM) in describing the α decay energies of the 947 known heavy and superheavy nuclei is investigated. We find evident discrepancies between the α decay energies obtained using the FRDM and those reported by the evaluated atomic mass table AME 2020 (AME). In particular, the FRDM underestimates the experimental α decay energies of superheavy nuclei. The α decay energies of known nuclei obtained using the FRDM are optimized using a neural network approach, i.e. , FRDM-NN, and the accuracy improves significantly. The α decay energy systematics obtained using both the FRDM and FRDM-NN exhibit an evident shell effect at neutron number , implying that may be the magic number of the superheavy nucleus region. The α decay half-lives of known superheavy nuclei are calculated using the Generalized Liquid Drop Model (GLDM) and Royer formula with the input of the optimized α decay energies obtained using the FRDM-NN, and the calculations can reproduce the experimental data well. The α decay half-lives of unknown superheavy nuclei, in particular, superheavy nuclei with and 120, are also predicted using the GLDM and Royer formula with the input of the α decay energy obtained using the FRDM-NN. The relative error of two types of predicted α decay half-lives and superposition are analyzed, and the average predictions are given. The α decay energies predicted by the FRDM-NN and the α decay half-lives calculated using the GLDM and Royer formula can provide references for the experimental synthesis of new superheavy elements with and 120.