Two center shell model with Woods-Saxon potentials: adiabatic and diabatic states in fusion

A realistic two-center shell model for fusion is proposed, which is based on two spherical Woods-Saxon potentials and the potential separable expansion method. This model describes the single-particle motion in a fusing system. A technique for calculating stationary diabatic states is suggested which makes use of the formal definition of those states, i.e., they minimize the radial nonadiabatic coupling between the adiabatic states. As an example the system $^{16}$O + $^{40}$Ca $\to$ $^{56}$Ni is discussed.