Identification of Multinucleon Transfer Products with Short-Lived Daughter Nuclei

Multinucleon transfer (MNT) reactions may offer a way to produce new neutron-rich isotopes of known and yet-to-be discovered elements in the heavy and super-heavy mass regimes. Despite decades of study, many open questions remain about MNT reactions. For example, the mechanisms of multinucleon transfers in low-energy collisions of very heavy ions are not well understood. Experimental data are imperative to verify and refine theoretical models. We have used an active catcher array, developed at Texas A\&M University [1], to study short-lived MNT products of the reaction $^{208}$Pb + $^{208}$Pb with a pulsed beam. While the beam is on, the products are implanted in scintillators coupled to photomultiplier tubes. When the beam is off, subsequent $\alpha$-decays are detected and 2$\mu$s-long waveforms are recorded using digitizers. To identify specific MNT products, we performed a search of single digitized waveforms for correlated $\alpha$-decays of parent and daughter nuclei, where the daughter has a short half-life (t$_{1/2}$ $<$ 0.4$\mu$s). The preliminary results of this analysis will be discussed. [1] Wuenschel, S., et al., PRC 90, 011601 (2014).