Fission, cluster emission and hyperdeformation at high angular momentum inthe fusion-like deformation valley

The peculiar exit path leading one nucleus to two tangent spherical fragmen ts before crossing the potential barrier has been investigated assuming nec k formation while keeping quasi-spherical ends. The potential energy has be en determined within a generalized liquid-drop model including a proximity energy term, the decay asymmetry and an accurate nuclear radius. The barrie r top corresponds to separated nascent nuclei maintained in unstable equili brium by the balance between the repulsive Coulomb forces and the attractiv e surface tension and proximity forces. The calculated fission barrier char acteristics, half-lives of radioactive nuclei emitting heavy clusters, frag ment kinetic energies, critical angular momenta of light nuclei and rotatin g super- and hyperdeformed-state properties are in agreement with the avail able experimental data.