Unfolding reaction mechanisms in C12 fusion with Zr below 7 MeV/nucleon

Heavy-ion reaction studies in the incident energy regime $\ensuremath{\le}$ 20 MeV/nucleon have suggested multiple signatures of preequilibrium emission during the compound nucleus formation phenomenon and the presence of incomplete fusion, both of which vary with the incident energy and projectile-target combination. However, the available reaction data are insufficient to accurately decipher these contributions as the reports have a finite dependency on the predictions from theoretical models. Therefore, sound data interpretation with robust nuclear models is fundamental to unfolding the underlying processes. We report a new study of excitation functions of residues produced from the $^{12}\mathrm{C}+\mathrm{Zr}$ reactions up to 6.3 MeV/nucleon energy. Cross sections of 16 evaporation residues were measured through off-beam $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectroscopy. Excitation functions of the evaporation residues are reported at 14 energy points and compared with the reaction model code empire-3.2.2, with variations in nuclear level density. Additionally, the overall contribution of precompound and compound nuclear processes is discussed quantitatively within the realms of empire-3.2.2 model code.