A new simple formula for fusion cross-sections of light nuclei

Abstract

The recent ENDF/B VII.0 data are compared with the fitting formula (NRL handbook—Plasma Formulary). The differences between experimental data and the fitting formula for three major fusion cross-sections reveal the need for a replacement to the old 5-parameter fitting formula. The new formula in this paper has only 3 parameters, but its fit with the experimental data is greatly improved because the energy dependence of the incident-channel (deuteron) width is taken explicitly into account through a penetrability function of the Mott form.