Alpha-decay systematics and a new scaling law in heavy and superheavy nuclei

Abstract This paper presents a systematic investigation of α -decay properties in even-even isotopic chains of Po ( ), Cm ( ), Hs ( ), and Fl ( ) using a semi-classical approach. Ground-state properties, including binding energies and nucleon density distributions, are calculated by minimizing a Skyrme-based energy density functional augmented with microscopic corrections. The derived nuclear densities and -values are used to construct the α decay potential through the double-folding model (DFM). The α -decay dynamics are treated quantum mechanically based on the preformed cluster model (PCM) within the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation. The analysis reveals distinct signatures of spherical shell closures at and , along with secondary anomalies near , , and , which are consistent with deformed sub-shell effects predicted by nuclear structure models. The signature of daughter nuclear stability is systematically observed through one or more of the following features: shortened α -decay half-lives, enhanced values, increased penetrabilities, and/or reduced assault frequencies. A new universal scaling relation, relating the decay half-lives and a scaled combination of nuclear charge and decay energy, is established, showing strong correlation across a wide mass range. Systematic comparisons demonstrate particular predictive advantages for superheavy nuclei, with the proposed method accurately reproducing observed half-life variations across all isotopic chains. The results confirm the sensitivity of α -decay observables to both spherical and deformed shell effects and reinforce the role of α -decay systematics as powerful tools for probing nuclear structure and guiding predictions in unexplored regions of the nuclear chart.