Optical-model dependence of heavy-ion transfer reactions

The dependence of the angular distributions of heavy-ion direct transfer reactions on optical-model parameters is examined using semiclassical concepts. An analytic expression relating the parameters of a Woods-Saxon form of optical potential to the dominant partial wave is derived. The effect on the dominant partial wave, and consequently on the angular distributions, of changing different optical potential parameters is thus seen explicitly in a simple way. A number of single-nucleon- and alpha -transfer reactions are analysed to illustrate the point. The cause of certain discrepancies arising in some transfer reactions is indicated on the basis of this analysis