Role of neutron transfer in the sub-barrier fusion cross section in O18 + Sn116

Background: In heavy-ion-induced fusion reactions, cross sections in the sub-barrier region are enhanced compared to predictions of the one-dimensional barrier penetration model. This enhancement is often understood by invoking deformation and coupling of the relative motion with low-lying inelastic states of the reaction partners. However, effects of nucleon transfer on fusion below the barrier, especially for the systems having positive $Q$ value neutron transfer (PQNT) channels, are yet to be disentangled completely.Purpose: We intend to study the role of the PQNT effect on the sub-barrier fusion of the $^{18}\mathrm{O} + ^{116}\mathrm{Sn}$ system having positive $Q$ value for the two-neutron stripping channel. Also we reflect on the interplay of couplings involved in the system around the Coulomb barrier.Method: The fusion excitation function was measured at energies from $11%$ below to $46%$ above the Coulomb barrier for $^{18}\mathrm{O} + ^{116}\mathrm{Sn}$ using a recoil mass spectrometer, viz., the Heavy-Ion Reaction Analyser (HIRA). Fusion barrier distributions were extracted from the data. Results from the experiment were analyzed within the framework of the coupled-channels model.Results: Fusion cross sections at energies below the Coulomb barrier showed strong enhancement compared to predictions of the one-dimensional barrier penetration model. The fusion process is influenced by couplings to the collective excitations with coupling to single- and two-phonon vibrational states of the target and the projectile respectively. Inclusion of the two-neutron transfer channel in the calculation along with these couplings could reproduce the data satisfactorily.Conclusions: The significant role of PQNT in enhancing the sub-barrier fusion cross section for the chosen system is not observed. It simply reduced the sub-barrier fusion cross section. Therefore, a consistent link between PQNT and sub-barrier fusion enhancement could not be established vividly while comparing the fusion excitation function from this work with the same from other $^{16,18}\mathrm{O}$-induced reactions. This clearly points to the need for more experimental as well as theoretical investigation in this field.