Fission of targetlike fragments populated in the multinucleon transfer reactions of 340 MeV Si-28 on Th-232

The transfer-induced fission channel has been studied in the collision of 340 MeV Si-28 on Th-232 as a function of the atomic number of the projectilelike fragments (PLF's) by using a 4pi detector array. It is found that the energy loss of the transfer reaction increases as a function of the net charge transfer DeltaZ from the projectile to the target nucleus, going from quasielastic to deep-inelastic regimes. The average excitation energy of the targetlike fragment (TLF) is derived from the measured energy loss, whereas its angular momentum has been obtained from the angular distribution of fission fragments. It is found that the populated TLF nuclei with Z(TLF)=90-96 (DeltaZ=0-6) have average excitation energies up to about 100 MeV and angular momenta up to about 40h. The measured ratio of transfer-fission yield to PLF singles, Y-f, first increases with increasing net charge transfer up to DeltaZ=4 and then shows a plateau around the values Y-f=0.4-0.6 followed by a decrease for higher DeltaZ transfers. This ratio can be identified as the cumulative fission probability of the populated nuclei for net charge transfers up to DeltaZless than or equal to6, where a two-body mechanism for the first reaction step is supported by the experimental data. This result suggests a significant survival probability against fission of these TLF nuclei, in marked disagreement with the standard statistical model predictions. The observed survival probability implies that there is a strong hindrance to fission in the early stages of deexcitation, as also indicated by the large fission times (t(f)=10-100 zs) derived from earlier neutron measurements in fusion-fission reactions. The importance of such effects in the population of nuclei in the heavy and superheavy mass regions by transfer reactions is discussed.