In the exothermic process of fission decay, an atomic nucleus splits into two or more independent fragments. Several aspects of nuclear fission are not properly understood, in particular the formation of the neck between the nascent fragments, and the subsequent mechanism of scission into two or more independent fragments. Using an implementation of time-dependent density functional theory, based on a relativistic energy density functional and including pairing correlations, we analyze the final phase of the process of induced fission of ${}^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$, and show that the timescale of neck formation coincides with the assembly of two $\alpha$-like clusters. Because of its much larger binding energy, the dynamical synthesis of ${}^4\mathrm{He}$ in the neck predominates over other light clusters, e.g., ${}^3\mathrm{H}$ and ${}^6\mathrm{He}$. At the instant of scission the neck ruptures exactly between the two $\alpha$-like clusters, which separate because of the Coulomb repulsion and are eventually absorbed by the two emerging fragments. The mechanism of light charged clusters formation at scission could also be linked to ternary fission.

• Received 22 November 2021
• Revised 11 February 2022
• Accepted 8 April 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.172501