Nuclear Physics A 739 (2004) 229–237 www.elsevier.com/locate/npe Linear momentum transfer in incomplete fusion reactions of 12 C and 13 C with 181 Ta K. Surendra Babu a , R. Tripathi b , K. Sudarshan b , S. Sodaye b , A. Goswami b , B.D. Shrivastava a , B.S. Tomar b,∗ a School of Studies in Physics, Vikram University, Ujjain 456 010, India b Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India Received 12 September 2003; received in revised form 15 March 2004; accepted 2 April 2004 Available online 15 April 2004 Abstract Recoil range distribution of evaporation residues formed in complete and incomplete fusion of 82.5 MeV 12 C and 13 C with 181 Ta have been measured by recoil catcher technique followed by off-line gamma-ray spectrometry. The recoil range distributions of incomplete fusion products were found to be in good agreement with that simulated on the basis of direct surface transfer reaction model. The cross-sections for complete and incomplete fusion were delineated from the measured excitation function data at the same beam energy. The fraction of incomplete fusion in the total cross- section was found to be more in the case of 12 C than that in the case of 13 C indicating the dependence of incomplete fusion probability on the cluster structure of the projectile.  2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 25.85.Jj; 25.70.Gh Keywords: Heavy ion reactions; Incomplete fusion reactions; Recoil range distribution; Linear momentum transfer; Recoil catcher technique; Gamma-ray spectrometry; 12 C; 13 C beam; 181 Ta target 1. Introduction It is by now well established that incomplete fusion (ICF) reactions start competing with the complete fusion (CF) reactions just above the Coulomb barrier. Evidence for such conclusions was provided by extensive studies on excitation functions, recoil range distrib- * Corresponding author. E-mail address: bstomar@apsara.barc.ernet.in (B.S. Tomar). 0375-9474/$ – see front matter  2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2004.04.102