Relativistic mean-field study of the properties of Z=117 nuclei and the decay chains of the 293,294117 isotopes

We have calculated the binding energy, root-mean-square radius, and quadrupole deformation parameter for the recently synthesized superheavy element Z = 117, using the axially deformed relativistic mean-field (RMF) model. The calculation is extended to various isotopes of the Z = 117 element, starting from A = 286 till A = 310. We predict almost spherical structures in the ground state for almost all the isotopes. A shape transition appears at about A = 292 from a prolate to an oblate shape structure of the Z = 117 nucleus in our mean-field approach. The most stable isotope (largest binding energy per nucleon) is found to be the (288)117 nucleus. Also, the Q(alpha) values and the half-life T-1/2(alpha) for the alpha-decay chains of (293)117 and (294)117 are calculated, supporting the magic numbers at N = 172 and/or 184.