Study of the $^{14}$O~+~$\alpha$ reaction at low energy

The $^{14}$O($\alpha$,~p)$^{17}$F stellar reaction is one of the key reactions for the breakout from the Hot--CNO cycle to the rp--process. Since the cross sections depends on the product of $\alpha$ and proton widths of the intermediate states in $^{18} $Ne, it is important to determine these widths. We performed an experiment of the $^{14}$O~+~$\alpha$ scattering with a thick target method at the CNS Radioactive Ion Beam (CRIB) facility. The experiment was carried out using a thick Helium gas target and position sensitive silicon telescopes. This measurement provides an excitation function of $^{14}$O~+~$\alpha$ scattering for an energy range of E$_{\textrm{cm}}$~=~1.7~--~5.9~MeV. We will concentrate on the elastic scattering channel in this presentation, since the $\alpha$-cluster structure in $^{18}$Ne above the $\alpha$~--~threshold would play an important role for the stellar reaction. Several $\alpha$~--~resonances were observed in the present experiment. The experimental result will be presented, and the $\alpha$ cluster structure in $^{18}$Ne and the significance to the stellar reaction will be discussed.