Inner fission barriers of uranium isotopes in the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum

The inner fission barriers of the even-even uranium isotopes from the proton to the neutron drip line are studied with the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum. A periodic evolution for the ground state shapes is shown with the neutron number, i.e., spherical shapes at shell closures N=126, 184, 258, and prolate dominated shapes between them. In analogy to the shape evolution, the inner fission barriers also exhibit a periodic behavior: peaks at the shell closures and valleys in the mid-shells. The triaxial effect to the inner fission barrier is evaluated using the triaxial relativistic mean field calculations plus a simple BCS method for pairing. With the triaxial correction included, good consistency in the inner barrier heights is found with the available empirical data. Besides, the evolution from the proton to the neutron drip line is in accord with the results by the multi-dimensionally constrained relativistic mean field theory. A flat valley in the fission barrier height is predicted around the neutron-rich nucleus ^318U which may play a role of fission recycling in the astrophysical r-process nucleosynthesis.