We have identified the most probable projectile-target combination by studying the fusion cross section, evaporation residue cross section, compound nucleus formation probability ($P_{\mathrm{CN}}$), and survival probability ($P_{\mathrm{Surv}}$) of different projectile target combinations to synthesize the superheavy element $Z=122$. The selected most probable projectile-target combinations to synthesize the superheavy element $Z=122$ are $\mathrm{Cr}+\mathrm{Cf}$, $\mathrm{Fe}+\mathrm{Cm}$, $\mathrm{Se}+\mathrm{Ra}$, and $\mathrm{As}+\mathrm{Ac}$. Superheavy nuclei may decay through the different decay modes such as spontaneous fission, ternary fission, and cluster decay. We have also studied the half-lives of spontaneous fission, ternary fission, and cluster decay of the predicted nuclei for $Z=122$ and compared with that of alpha decay. This enables us to study the competition between spontaneous fission, ternary fission, cluster decay, and alpha decay in the superheavy nuclei of $Z=122$. The comparision of half lives for different decay modes reveals that alpha decay is having smaller half lives than the other studied decay modes. A detail study of branching ratio of alpha decay with respect to other decay modes also confirms that alpha decay is most dominant decay mode for the isotopes superheavy nuclei ${}^{307–314}122$ and hence these nuclei can be detected through the alpha decay mode only. We hope that our predictions may be guide for the future experiments in the synthesis of more isotopes of superheavy nuclei $\mathrm{Z}=122$.

• Received 18 May 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.98.024308