  A study of interaction of neutron rich oxygen isotopes $^{17,18}$O with light
targets has been undertaken in order to determine the optical potentials needed
for the transfer reaction $^{13}$C($^{17}$O,$^{18}$O)$^{12}$C. Optical
potentials in both incoming and outgoing channels have been determined in a
single experiment. This transfer reaction was used to infer the direct capture
rate to the $^{17}$F(p,$\gamma$)$^{18}$Ne which is essential to estimate the
production of $^{18}$F at stellar energies in ONe novae. The success of the
asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC) as indirect method for astrophysics
is guaranteed if the reaction mechanism is peripheral and the DWBA cross
section calculations are warranted and stable against OMP used. We demonstrate
the stability of the ANC method and OMP results using good quality elastic and
inelastic scattering data with stable beams before extending the procedures to
rare ion beams. The peripherality of our reaction is inferred from a
semiclassical decomposition of the total scattering amplitude into barrier and
internal barrier components.
  Comparison between elastic scattering of $^{17}$O, $^{18}$O and $^{16}$O
projectiles is made.
