I can confirm that our calculations of the Woods Saxon force are correct. The force is given in Georgia J. Sci.,p. 5, Eq. (37) and also Fig. (2), which is the same as your figure. This is found by googling "Woods Saxon force and nuclear strong force". I would suggest broadening the Woods Saxon force by adjusting R, a sub N and U sub 0 , it is the strongly attractive nuclear force that keeps the nucleus together. By googling "Woods Saxon potential" it is seen that it is used universally in nuclear physics. It is know known that it is due to m space. Your graph is correct , the force is very short ranged. The nucleus is a small entity, so the regions in which the force in your graph is negative are the regions inside the nucleus.
Graph of Woods-Saxon force
The Woods-Saxon potential and force are graphed in the plot. There is a
negative force peak at the nuclear radius of Ni. There is no force in
the inner region. This means that nucleons are drawn to the inner at the
boundary but are force-free when moving within the nucleus. The only
possibility I see to increase the Woods-Saxon force is to minimize the
"surface thickness" a_N. then the force peak becomes sharper.
Horst
