Fusion probability and survivability in estimates of heaviest nuclei production

Production of the heavy and heaviest nuclei (from Po to the region of superheavy elements close to Z=114 and N=184) in fusion-evaporation reactions induced by heavy ions has been considered in a systematic way within the framework of the barrier-passing model coupled with the statistical model (SM) of de-excitation of a compound nucleus (CN). Excitation functions for fission and evaporation residues (ER) measured in very asymmetric combinations can be described rather well. One can scale and fix macroscopic (liquid-drop) fission barriers for nuclei involved in the calculation of survivability with SM. In less asymmetric combinations, effects of fusion suppression caused by quasi-fission (QF) are starting to appear in the entrance channel of reactions. QF effects could be semi-empirically taken into account using fusion probabilities deduced as the ratio of measured ER cross sections to the ones obtained in the assumption of absence of the fusion suppression in corresponding reactions. SM parameters (fission barriers) obtained at the analysis of a very asymmetric combination leading to the production of (nearly) the same CN should be used for this evaluation.