Synthesis and detection of a seaborgium carbonyl complex

A carbonyl compound that tips the scales Life is short for the heaviest elements. They emerge from high-energy nuclear collisions with scant time for detection before they break up into lighter atoms. Even et al. report that even a few seconds is long enough for carbon to bond to the 106th element, seaborgium (see the Perspective by Loveland). The authors used a custom apparatus to direct the freshly made atoms out of the hot collision environment and through a stream of carbon monoxide and helium. They compared the detected products with theoretical modeling results and conclude that hexacarbonyl Sg(CO) 6 was the most likely structural formula. Science , this issue p. 1491 ; see also p. 14…

Spectroscopy along flerovium decay chains. II : Fine structure in odd-A289Fl

Fifteen correlated α-decay chains starting from the odd-A superheavy nucleus 289Fl were observed following the fusion-evaporation reaction 48Ca+244Pu. The results call for at least two parallel α-decay sequences starting from at least two different states of 289Fl. This implies that close-lying levels in nuclei along these chains have quite different spin-parity assignments. Further, observed α-electron and α-photon coincidences, as well as the α-decay fine structure along the decay chains, suggest a change in the ground-state spin assignment between 285Cn and 281Ds. Our experimental results, on the excited level structure of the heaviest odd-N nuclei to date, provide a direct testing groun…

Status of the project TRAPSENSOR: Performance of the laser-desorption ion source

Abstract Penning traps provide mass measurements on atomic nuclei with the highest accuracy and sensitivity. Depending on the experiment and on the physics goal, a relative mass uncertainty varying from 10 −7 to below 10 −11 is required. Regarding sensitivity, the use of only one ion for the measurement is crucial, either to perform mass measurements on superheavy elements (SHE), or to reach δ m / m ≈ 10 - 11 in order to contribute to the direct determination of the mass of the electron-antineutrino with accurate mass measurements on specific nuclei. This has motivated the development of a new technique called Quantum Sensor based on a laser-cooled ion stored in a Penning trap, to perform m…

The performance of thin layers produced by molecular plating as α-particle sources

Abstract Sources for α-spectroscopy studies were prepared. Constant current density molecular plating was used to produce layers containing the α-particle emitter 147 Sm. Different parameters of the molecular plating process were varied, namely the plating solvent (an isopropanol/isobutanol mixture, pyridine, and N , N -dimethylformamide), the applied deposition time (90, 180, and 360 min), and the surface roughness of the deposition substrate (ca. 10, 20, and 300 nm). Using different analytical techniques, Sm deposition yields, chemical composition of the produced surfaces, surface homogeneity, roughness and morphology were investigated. Alpha spectra were recorded with a Si solid-state de…

Spectroscopic Tools Applied to Flerovium Decay Chains

Abstract An upgraded TASISpec setup, with the addition of a veto DSSD and the new Compex detector-germanium array, has been employed with the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt, to study flerovium (element 114) decay chains. The detector upgrades along with development of new analytical techniques have improved the sensitivity of the TASISpec setup for measuring α-photon coincidences. These improvements have been assessed with test reactions. The reaction 48Ca+206,207Pb was used for verification of experimental parameters such as transmission to implantation DSSD and target-segment to α-decay correlations. The reaction 48Ca+ nat …

The identification and confirmation of isomeric states in 254Rf and 255Rf through conversion electron detection

Abstract The neutron-deficient isotopes 254,255Rf were produced in the fusion-evaporation reaction 50Ti + 206Pb at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA. Decay properties of these nuclei were investigated by applying fast digital electronics. A search for isomeric states in both isotopes was performed by using the accompanying conversion electron emissions. Isomeric states with half-lives of 4(1) μs and >30 μs were measured for 254Rf and 255Rf, respectively, which confirm the findings at different separators. The present experimental results demonstrate the great potential of fast digital electronics for measurements of isomeric states in the heaviest nuclei, which are only producible in sm…

Development and characterization of a Drop-on-Demand inkjet printing system for nuclear target fabrication

Abstract A novel target preparation method based on Drop-on-Demand (DoD) inkjet printing has been developed. Conventional preparation methods like the electrochemical method “Molecular Plating” or the “Polymer-Assisted Deposition Method” are often limited, e.g., concerning the dimensions and geometries of depositions or by the requirement for electrically conducting substrates. Here, we report on the development of a new technique, which overcomes such limits by using a commercially available DoD dispenser. A variety of solutions with volumes down to 5 nL can be dispensed onto every manageable substrate. The dispensed volumes were determined with a radioactive tracer and the deposits of eva…

The recoil transfer chamber—An interface to connect the physical preseparator TASCA with chemistry and counting setups

Performing experiments with transactinide elements demands highly sensitive detection methods due to the extremely low production rates (one-atom-at-a-time conditions). Preseparation with a physical recoil separator is a powerful method to significantly reduce the background in experiments with sufficiently long-lived isotopes (t1/2≥0.5 s). In the last years, the new gas-filled TransActinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus (TASCA) was installed and successfully commissioned at GSI. Here, we report on the design and performance of a Recoil Transfer Chamber (RTC) for TASCA—an interface to connect various chemistry and counting setups with the separator. Nuclear reaction products recoiling o…

Alpha-Photon Coincidence Spectroscopy Along Element 115 Decay Chains

Produced in the reaction 48Ca+243Am, thirty correlated α-decay chains were observed in an experiment conducted at the GSI Helmholzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany. The decay chains are basically consistent with previous findings and are considered to originate from isotopes of element 115 with mass numbers 287, 288, and 289. A set-up aiming specifically for high-resolution charged particle and photon coincidence spectroscopy was placed behind the gas-filled separator TASCA. For the first time, γ rays as well as X-ray candidates were observed in prompt coincidence with the α-decay chains of element 115.

Implementation of an aerodynamic lens for TRIGA-SPEC

Abstract We report on the optimization of the gas-jet system employed to couple the TRIGA-SPEC experiment to the research reactor TRIGA Mainz. CdI2 aerosol particles suspended in N2 as carrier gas are used for an effective transport of fission products from neutron induced 235 U fission from the target chamber to a surface ion source. Operating conditions of the gas-jet were modified to enable the implementation of an aerodynamic lens, fitting into the limited space available in front of the ion source. The lens boosts the gas-jet efficiency by a factor of 4–10. The characterization of the gas-jet system as well as the design of the aerodynamic lens and efficiency studies are presented and …

Recoil-α-fission and recoil-α–α-fission events observed in the reaction 48Ca + 243Am

Products of the fusion-evaporation reaction 48Ca + 243Am were studied with the TASISpec set-up at the gas-filled separator TASCA at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany. Amongst the detected thirty correlated α-decay chains associated with the production of element Z=115, two recoil-α-fission and five recoil-α-α-fission events were observed. The latter five chains are similar to four such events reported from experiments performed at the Dubna gas-filled separator, and three such events reported from an experiment at the Berkeley gas-filled separator. The four chains observed at the Dubna gas-filled separator were assigned to start from the 2n-evaporation ch…

Qvalue and half-life of double-electron capture in184Os

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta transitionswould reveal physics beyond the Standard Model, asit would establish neutrinos to be Majorana particles,which implies a violation of the lepton number conserva-tion. Experiments searching for these transitions have fo-cused on the detection of neutrinoless double-beta decay(0 ) rather than neutrinoless double-electron capture(0). One reason among others is in general the sig-ni cantly shorter half-life of the 0 process. However,in the case of neutrinoless double-electron capture, thetransition is expected to be resonantly enhanced if theinitial and the nal state of the transition are degeneratein energy [1{3].In this work, we inves…

First Study on Nihonium (Nh, Element 113) Chemistry at TASCA

Frontiers in Chemistry 9, 753738 (2021). doi:10.3389/fchem.2021.753738

Complex chemistry with complex compounds

In recent years gas-phase chemical studies assisted by physical pre-separation allowed for the investigation of fragile single molecular species by gas-phase chromatography. The latest success with the heaviest group 6 transactinide seaborgium is highlighted. The formation of a very volatile hexacarbonyl compound Sg(CO)6 was observed similarly to its lighter homologues molybdenum and tungsten. The interactions of these gaseous carbonyl complex compounds with quartz surfaces were investigated by thermochromatography. Second-generation experiments are under way to investigate the intramolecular bond between the central metal atom of the complexes and the ligands addressing the influence of re…

Production of highly charged ions of rare species by laser-induced desorption inside an electron beam ion trap

This paper reports on the development and testing of a novel, highly efficient technique for the injection of very rare species into electron beam ion traps (EBITs) for the production of highly charged ions (HCI). It relies on in-trap laser-induced desorption of atoms from a sample brought very close to the electron beam resulting in a very high capture efficiency in the EBIT. We have demonstrated a steady production of HCI of the stable isotope 165Ho from samples of only 1012 atoms (∼300 pg) in charge states up to 45+. HCI of these species can be subsequently extracted for use in other experiments or stored in the trapping volume of the EBIT for spectroscopic measurements. The high efficie…

Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy

Until recently, ground-state nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei could only be inferred from nuclear spectroscopy, where model assumptions are required. Laser spectroscopy in combination with modern atomic structure calculations is now able to probe these moments directly, in a comprehensive and nuclear-model-independent way. Here we report on unique access to the differential mean-square charge radii of ^{252,253,254}No, and therefore to changes in nuclear size and shape. State-of-the-art nuclear density functional calculations describe well the changes in nuclear charge radii in the region of the heavy actinides, indicating an appreciable central depression in the deformed proton densi…

Cross section limits for theCm248(Mg25,4n−5n)Hs268,269reactions

We report on an attempt to produce and detect $^{268}\mathrm{Hs}$ and $^{269}\mathrm{Hs}$ in the nuclear fusion reaction $^{25}\mathrm{Mg}+^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ using the gas phase chemistry apparatus COMPACT. No decay chains attributable to the decay of hassium isotopes were observed during the course of this experiment. From the nonobservation of $^{269}\mathrm{Hs}$ we derive a cross section limit of 0.4 pb (63% confidence limit) for the reaction $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}(^{25}\mathrm{Mg},4n)^{269}\mathrm{Hs}$ at a center-of-target beam energy of 140 MeV. The evaluated cross section limit for the $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}(^{25}\mathrm{Mg},5n)^{268}\mathrm{Hs}$ reaction depends on the assumed half-life of …

Production and Decay of Element 114: High Cross Sections and the New NucleusHs277

The fusion-evaporation reaction Pu-244(Ca-48, 3-4n)(288,289)114 was studied at the new gas-filled recoil separator TASCA. Thirteen correlated decay chains were observed and assigned to the production and decay of (288, 289)114. At a compound nucleus excitation energy of E* = 39.8-43.9 MeV, the 4n evaporation channel cross section was 9.8(-3.1)(+3.9) pb. At E* = 36.1-39.5 MeV, that of the 3n evaporation channel was 8.0-(+7.4)(4.5) pb. In one of the 3n evaporation channel decay chains, a previously unobserved alpha branch in (281)Ds was observed ( probability to be of random origin from background: 0.1%). This alpha decay populated the new nucleus (277)Hs, which decayed by spontaneous fission…

Recent developments for high-precision mass measurements of the heaviest elements at SHIPTRAP

Abstract Atomic nuclei far from stability continue to challenge our understanding. For example, theoretical models have predicted an “island of stability” in the region of the superheavy elements due to the closure of spherical proton and neutron shells. Depending on the model, these are expected at Z = 114, 120 or even 126 and N = 172 or 184. Valuable information on the road to the island of stability is derived from high-precision mass measurements, which give direct access to binding energies of short-lived trans-uranium nuclei. Recently, direct mass measurements at SHIPTRAP have been extended to nobelium and lawrencium isotopes around the deformed shell gap N = 152. In order to further …

Some remarks on the discovery of Md-244

In two recent papers by Pore et al. and Khuyagbaatar et al., discovery of the new isotope $^{244}\mathrm{Md}$ was reported. The decay data, however, are conflicting. While Pore et al. report two isomeric states decaying by $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ emission with ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}(1)=8.66(2)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$, ${T}_{1/2}(1)={0.4}_{\ensuremath{-}0.1}^{+0.4}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}$ and ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}(2)=8.31(2)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$, ${T}_{1/2}(2)\ensuremath{\approx}6\text{ }\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}$, Khuyagbaatar et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 142504 (2020).] report only a single transition with a broad energy distribution of ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=(…

Systematic evidence for quasifission in Be9−, C12−, and O16 -induced reactions forming No258,260

Miss Piggy, a californium-252 fission fragment source as a generator of short-lived radionuclides

Abstract Carrier-free short-lived nuclides are employed in many different fields of modern nuclear chemistry. The two main production strategies are either thermal neutron-induced fission of 235U or 239Pu at nuclear reactors or spallation neutron sources or charged particle-induced nuclear reactions at accelerator facilities. An alternative method is to use a spontaneously fissioning nuclide. A facility applying this technique (“Miss Piggy”) was built at the University of Berne (Switzerland). Californium-252 (252Cf), which has a 3% fission branch and a half-life of 2.645 a, is used for the production of short-lived fission products that are stopped in an adjacent recoil chamber. Short-lived…

Direct mass measurements of cadmium and palladium isotopes and their double-βtransitionQvalues

The Q-value of the double-electron capture in Cd-108 has been determined to be (272.04 +/- 0.55) keV in a direct measurement with the double-Penning trap mass spectrometer TRIGA-TRAP. Based on this result a resonant enhancement of the decay rate of Cd-108 is excluded. We have confirmed the double-beta transition Q-values of Cd-106 and Pd-110 recently measured with the Penning-trap mass spectrometers SHIPTRAP and ISOLTRAP, respectively. Furthermore, the atomic masses of the involved nuclides Cd-106, Cd-108, Cd-110, Pd-106, Pd-108 and Pd-110 have been directly linked to the atomic mass standard.

Low-lying states in Ra219 and Rn215 : Sampling microsecond α -decaying nuclei

Short-lived α-decaying nuclei "northeast" of 208Pb in the chart of nuclides were studied using the reaction 48Ca+243Am with the decay station TASISpec at TASCA, GSI Darmstadt. Decay energies and times from pile-up events were extracted with a tailor-made pulse-shape analysis routine and specific α-decay chains were identified in a correlation analysis. Decay chains starting with the even-even 220Ra and its odd-A neighbors, 219Fr, and 219,221Ra, with a focus on the 219Ra→215Rn decay, were studied by means of α-γ spectroscopy. A revised α-decay scheme of 219Ra is proposed, including a new decay branch from a previously not considered isomeric state at 17 keV excitation energy. Conclusions on …

Decomposition studies of group 6 hexacarbonyl complexes. Part 1: Production and decomposition of Mo(CO)6 and W(CO)6

Abstract Chemical studies of superheavy elements require fast and efficient techniques, due to short half-lives and low production rates of the investigated nuclides. Here, we advocate for using a tubular flow reactor for assessing the thermal stability of the Sg carbonyl complex – Sg(CO)6. The experimental setup was tested with Mo and W carbonyl complexes, as their properties are established and supported by theoretical predictions. The suggested approach proved to be effective in discriminating between the thermal stabilities of Mo(CO)6 and W(CO)6. Therefore, an experimental verification of the predicted Sg–CO bond dissociation energy seems to be feasible by applying this technique. By in…

The 48Ca+181Ta reaction: Cross section studies and investigation of neutron-deficient 86 ≤ Z ≤ 93 isotopes

© 2019 Fusion-evaporation reactions with the doubly magic projectile 48 Ca were used to access neutron-deficient nuclei around neptunium at the velocity filter SHIP, and investigated using the COMPASS decay spectroscopy station. With the use of digital electronics, several isotopes produced via neutron, proton, and α evaporation channels were identified by establishing correlated α-decay chains with short-lived sub-μs members. Data are given on decay chains stemming from 225,226 Np, 225 U, and 222,223 Pa. New information on the isotopes 225,226 Np and 222 Pa was obtained. Production cross sections of nuclei in the region using a variety of projectiles are discussed. The measured production …

Preparation of targets for the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA by electrochemical deposition and design of the TASCA target wheel assembly

Abstract The Transactinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus (TASCA) is a recoil separator with maximized transmission designed for performing advanced chemical studies as well as nuclear reaction and structure investigations of the transactinide elements ( Z >103) on a one-atom-at-a-time basis. TASCA will provide a very clean transactinide fraction with negligible contamination of lighter elements from nuclear side reactions in the target. For TASCA a new target chamber was designed and built at GSI including the rotating target wheel assembly ARTESIA for beam intensities up to 2 μA (particle). For the production of longer-lived isotopes of neutron-rich heavier actinide and transactinide e…

Isomeric states in Rf256

The question of the number and origin of isomeric states in $^{256}\mathrm{Rf}$ arose from two independent experiments but remained unanswered for a decade. To shed light on this puzzle, we studied isomeric decay in $^{256}\mathrm{Rf}$ by measuring conversion electrons with fast fully digital electronics. $^{256}\mathrm{Rf}$ was produced in the fusion-evaporation reactions of $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}+^{207}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}+^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ at the gas-filled recoil separator TransActinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus. Among a total of 120 decays of $^{256}\mathrm{Rf}$, we detected 22 and 12 decays proceeding through one and two isomeric states. Half-lives of the low- and hi…

Towards saturation of the electron-capture delayed fission probability: The new isotopes $^{240}Es$ and $^{236}Bk$

Abstract The new neutron-deficient nuclei 240 Es and 236 Bk were synthesised at the gas-filled recoil separator RITU. They were identified by their radioactive decay chains starting from 240 Es produced in the fusion–evaporation reaction 209 Bi( 34 S,3n) 240 Es. Half-lives of 6 ( 2 ) s and 22 − 6 + 13 s were obtained for 240 Es and 236 Bk, respectively. Two groups of α particles with energies E α = 8.19 ( 3 ) MeV and 8.09 ( 3 ) MeV were unambiguously assigned to 240 Es. Electron-capture delayed fission branches with probabilities of 0.16 ( 6 ) and 0.04 ( 2 ) were measured for 240 Es and 236 Bk, respectively. These new data show a continuation of the exponential increase of ECDF probabilitie…

A new assessment of the alleged link between element 115 and element 117 decay chains

Physics letters 760, 293-296(2016). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2016.07.008

Production of neptunium and plutonium nuclides from uranium carbide using 1.4-GeV protons

Accelerator-based techniques are one of the leading ways to produce radioactive nuclei. In this work, the Isotope Separation On-Line method was employed at the CERN-ISOLDE facility to produce neptunium and plutonium from a uranium carbide target material using 1.4-GeV protons. Neptunium and plutonium were laser-ionized and extracted as 30-keV ion beams. A Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer was used for ion identification by means of time-of-flight measurements as well as for isobaric separation. Isotope shifts were investigated for the 395.6-nm ground state transition in $^{236,237,239}$Np and the 413.4-nm ground state transition in $^{236,239,240}$Pu. Rates of $^{235-241}$Np…

Zeptosecond contact times for element Z=120 synthesis

The synthesis of new superheavy elements beyond oganesson (Z=118) requires fusion reactions with projectile nuclei with proton numbers larger than that of $^{48}$Ca (Z=20), which has been successfully employed for the synthesis of elements with Z=112-118. In such reactions, fusion is drastically hindered by fast non-equilibrated dynamical processes. Attempts to produce nuclei with Z=120 using the $^{64}$Ni+$^{238}$U, $^{58}$Fe+$^{244}$Pu, $^{54}$Cr+$^{248}$Cm, and $^{50}$Ti+$^{249}$Cf reactions have been made, which all result in larger Coulomb forces than for $^{48}$Ca-induced reactions, but no discovery has been confirmed to date. In this work, mass and angle distributions of fission frag…

Fission in the landscape of heaviest elements: Some recent examples

The fission process still remains a main factor that determines the stability of the atomic nucleus of heaviest elements. Fission half-lives vary over a wide range, 10^−19 to 10^24 s. Present experimental techniques for the synthesis of the superheavy elements that usually measure α-decay chains are sensitive only in a limited range of half-lives, often 10^5 to 10^3 s. In the past years, measurement techniques for very short-lived and very long-lived nuclei were significantly improved at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt. Recently, several experimental studies of fission-related phenomena have successfully been performed. In this paper, results on 254−256Rf and 266Lr ar…

IRiS—Exploring new frontiers in neutron-rich isotopes of the heaviest elements with a new Inelastic Reaction Isotope Separator

Abstract A dedicated Inelastic Reaction Isotope Separator (IRiS) for multi-nucleon transfer products will be designed and installed at GSI. Research at IRiS will focus on the investigation of new neutron-rich isotopes of the heaviest elements, study of which will advance various research fields, such as nuclear chemistry, nuclear and atomic physics, as well as nuclear astrophysics. The scientific motivation for this project and the alternative design options for the separator and its main components are discussed.

Measurements of charge state distributions of 0.74 and 1.4  MeV/u heavy ions passing through dilute gases

In many modern heavy-ion accelerator facilities, gas strippers are used to increase the projectile charge state for improving the acceleration efficiency of ion beams to higher energies. For this application, the knowledge on the behavior of charge state distributions of heavy-ions after passing through dilute gases is of special interest. Charge state distributions of uranium ($^{238}\mathrm{U}$), bismuth ($^{209}\mathrm{Bi}$), titanium ($^{50}\mathrm{Ti}$), and argon ($^{40}\mathrm{Ar}$) ion beams with energies of $0.74\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$ and $1.4\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$ after passing through hydrogen (${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$), helium (He), carbon dioxide (${\mathrm{CO}}_{…

Study of fusion reactions forming Cf nuclei

The formation of a compound nucleus in different projectile and target combinations is a powerful method for investigating the fusion process. Recently, the dominance of quasi-fission over fusion-fission has been inferred for 34 S+208 Pb in comparison to 36 S+206 Pb; both reactions lead to the compound nucleus 242 Cf* .The mass and angle distributions of the fission fragments from these reactions were studied in order to further investigate the presence of quasi-fission.

Rapid extraction of short-lived isotopes from a buffer gas cell for use in gas-phase chemistry experiments. Part I: Off-line studies with  219Rn and  221Fr

Abstract To study the chemical properties of the heaviest elements, a fast and efficient stopping and extraction of the highly energetic residues from heavy ion fusion reactions into the chemistry setup is essential. Currently used techniques like Recoil Transfer Chambers (RTC) relying on gas flow extraction provide high efficiencies for chemically non-reactive volatile species, but operate at extraction times t extr of about 0.5 s or more. Buffer Gas Cells (BGC) with electric and Radio-Frequency (RF) fields offer much faster extraction times. Here, we demonstrate the successful coupling of a BGC to a gas chromatography setup as is used for studies of chemical properties of superheavy eleme…

COMPASS—A COMPAct decay spectroscopy set-up

Abstract A compact silicon detector array with high spatial granularity and fast, fully digital data recording has been developed and commissioned for the investigation of heavy and superheavy nuclear species. The detector array can be combined in close geometry with large volume germanium detectors. It offers comprehensive particle and photon coincidence and correlation spectroscopy by highly efficient evaporation residue, α , γ , conversion electron and X-ray detection supported by the high granularity of the implantation chip. Access to fast decay events in the sub-microsecond region is made possible by the fast timing properties of the digital signal processing. A novel Si-chip support …

Ca48+Bk249Fusion Reaction Leading to ElementZ=117: Long-Livedα-DecayingDb270and Discovery ofLr266

The superheavy element with atomic number Z=117 was produced as an evaporation residue in the 48Ca+249Bk fusion reaction at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt, Germany. The radioactive decay of evaporation residues and their α-decay products was studied using a detection setup that allowed measuring decays of single atomic nuclei with half-lives between sub-μs and a few days. Two decay chains comprising seven α decays and a spontaneous fission each were identified and are assigned to the isotope 294-117 and its decay products. A hitherto unknown α-decay branch in 270Db (Z=105) was observed, which populated the new isotope 266Lr (Z=103). The identification of the long-liv…

Nuclear structure dependence of fusion hindrance in heavy element synthesis

The production of the heaviest elements in fusion-evaporation reactions is substantially limited by very low cross sections, as fusion cross sections (including fusion-fission) are greatly reduced by the competing quasifission mechanism. Using the Australian National University Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility and CUBE detector array, fission fragments from the $^{48}\mathrm{Ti}+^{204,208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}+^{206,208}\mathrm{Pb}$ reactions have been measured, with the aim to investigate how the competition between quasifission and fusion-fission evolves with small changes in entrance-channel properties associated mainly with the nuclear structure. Analysis of mass-distribution…

Mass-asymmetric fission in the 40ca+142Nd reaction

Shell effects play a major role in fission. Mass-asymmetric fission observed in the spontaneous and low energy fission of actinide nuclei was explained by incorporating the fragment shell properties in liquid drop model. Asymmetric fission has also been observed in the low energy fission of neutron-deficient 180 Hg nuclei in recent β -delayed fission experiments. This low-energy β -delayed fission has been explained in terms of strong shell effects in pre-scission configurations associated with the system after capture. Calculations predicted asymmetric fission for heavier Hg isotopes as well, at compound nuclear excitation energy as high as 40 MeV. To explore the evolution of fission fragm…

TRIGA-SPEC: the prototype of MATS and LaSpec

Investigation of short-lived nuclei is a challenging task that MATS and LaSpec will handle at the low energy branch of Super-FRS at FAIR. The groundwork for those experiments is laid-out already today at the TRIGA-SPEC facility as a powerful development platform located at the research reactor TRIGA Mainz. The latest status, new developments and first results of commissioning runs are presented here.

A concept for the extraction of the most refractory elements at CERN-ISOLDE as carbonyl complex ions

The European physical journal / A 58(5), 94 (2022). doi:10.1140/epja/s10050-022-00739-1

ODIn — A setup for Off-line Deposit Irradiations of thin layers for nuclear physics applications

Abstract A table top setup was developed for the irradiation of thin layers with low-energy electrons and ions of gaseous species. This serves to gain a better understanding of the chemical microprocesses involved during irradiations. The gained insights will complement the understanding of heavy-ion beam induced transformations at on-line facilities and will be used to develop an accelerator-independent method to transform freshly produced targets into a long-term stable form. The pilot experiment for these Off-line Deposit Irradiations (ODIn) is installed at the Helmholtz Institute Mainz. The setup, beam characterization and first commissioning are described.

Chemical investigation of hassium (element 108).

The periodic table provides a classification of the chemical properties of the elements. But for the heaviest elements, the transactinides, this role of the periodic table reaches its limits because increasingly strong relativistic effects on the valence electron shells can induce deviations from known trends in chemical properties. In the case of the first two transactinides, elements 104 and 105, relativistic effects do indeed influence their chemical properties, whereas elements 106 and 107 both behave as expected from their position within the periodic table. Here we report the chemical separation and characterization of only seven detected atoms of element 108 (hassium, Hs), which were…

Spectroscopy along flerovium decay chains. III : Details on experiment, analysis, 282Cn, and spontaneous fission branches

Flerovium isotopes (element Z=114) were produced in the fusion-evaporation reactions 48Ca+242,244Pu and studied with an upgraded TASISpec decay station placed in the focal plane of the gas-filled separator TASCA at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany. Twenty-nine flerovium decay chains were identified by means of correlated implantation, α decay, and spontaneous fission events. Data analysis aspects and statistical assessments, primarily based on measured rates of various events, which laid the foundation for the comprehensive spectroscopic information on the flerovium decay chains, are presented in detail. Various decay scenarios of an excited state obse…

Thermal (n, γ) cross section and resonance integral of 171Tm

Background: About 50% of the heavy elements are produced in stars during the slow neutron capture process. The analysis of branching points allows us to set constraints on the temperature and the neutron density in the interior of stars. Purpose: The temperature dependence of the branch point 171Tm is weak. Hence, the 171Tm neutron capture cross section can be used to constrain the neutron density during the main component of the s process in thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) stars. Methods: A 171Tm sample produced at the ILL was activated with thermal and epithermal neutrons at the TRIGA research reactor at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. Results: The thermal neu…

Smooth crack-free targets for nuclear applications produced by molecular plating

The production process of smooth and crack-free targets by means of constant current electrolysis in organic media, commonly known as molecular plating, was optimized. Using a Nd salt, i.e., [Nd(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O], as model electrolyte several constant current density electrolysis experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of different parameters, namely the plating solvent (isopropanol and isobutanol mixed together, pyridine, and N,N-dimethylformamide), the electrolyte concentration (0.11, 0.22, 0.44 mM), the applied current density (0.17, 0.3, 0.7, and 1.3 mA/cm(2)), and the surface roughness of the deposition substrates (12 and 24 nm). Different environments (air and …

On the adsorption and reactivity of element 114, flerovium

Flerovium (Fl, element 114) is the heaviest element chemically studied so far. To date, its interaction with gold was investigated in two gas-solid chromatography experiments, which reported two different types of interaction, however, each based on the level of a few registered atoms only. Whereas noble-gas-like properties were suggested from the first experiment, the second one pointed at a volatile-metal-like character. Here, we present further experimental data on adsorption studies of Fl on silicon oxide and gold surfaces, accounting for the inhomogeneous nature of the surface, as it was used in the experiment and analyzed as part of the reported studies. We confirm that Fl is highly v…

Precision Measurement of the First Ionization Potential of Nobelium

One of the most important atomic properties governing an element's chemical behavior is the energy required to remove its least-bound electron, referred to as the first ionization potential. For the heaviest elements, this fundamental quantity is strongly influenced by relativistic effects which lead to unique chemical properties. Laser spectroscopy on an atom-at-a-time scale was developed and applied to probe the optical spectrum of neutral nobelium near the ionization threshold. The first ionization potential of nobelium is determined here with a very high precision from the convergence of measured Rydberg series to be 6.626 21±0.000 05  eV. This work provides a stringent benchmark for st…

Applications of the pulsed gas stripper technique at the GSI UNILAC

Abstract In the frame of an upgrade program for the GSI UNILAC, preparing it for the use as an injector system for FAIR, a pulsed gas stripper cell was developed. It utilizes the required low duty cycle by applying a pulsed gas injection instead of a continuous gas inlet. The resulting lower gas consumption rate enables the use of low-Z gas targets over a wide range of stripper target thicknesses. The setup enables an increased flexibility for the accelerator by allowing the gas stripper to be used in time-sharing beam operation matching the capabilities of the GSI UNILAC like the acceleration of different ion beams in quasi-parallel operation. Measured charge state distributions of 238 U, …

Measurement of the first ionization potential of lawrencium (element 103)

Lawrencium, with atomic number 103, has an isotope with a half-life of 27 seconds; even so, its first ionization potential has now been measured on an atom-at-a-time scale and agrees well with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations that include relativistic effects. The most dramatic modern revision of Mendeleev's periodic table of elements came in 1944 when Glenn T. Seaborg placed a new series of elements, the actinides (atomic numbers 89–103), below the lanthanides. In this issue of Nature, Yuichiro Nagame and colleagues report the first measurement of one of the basic atomic properties of element 103 (lawrencium), namely its first ionization potential. Lawrencium is only accessible vi…

Charge-state dynamics of 1.4- and 11-MeV/u uranium ions penetrating H2 and He gas targets

Abstract Theoretical description and interpretation are presented of the recent experimental data on stripping of fast 238U ions, penetrating H2 and He gaseous targets: obtained in GSI, Darmstadt, Germany at 1.4 MeV/u with a H2 stripper, and in RIKEN, Saitama, Japan at 11 MeV/u with H2 and He strippers. Electron-loss and capture cross sections for uranium ions, interacting with H2 and He targets are calculated and used as input data in the BREIT code to obtain dynamic characteristics of uranium-ion beams: non-equilibrium and equilibrium charge-state fractions, mean and equilibrium charges, and equilibrium thicknesses. Special attention is paid for the calculation of the dynamic characterist…

First superheavy element experiments at the GSI recoil separator TASCA: The production and decay of element 114 in thePu244(Ca48,3-4n) reaction

Experiments with the new recoil separator, Transactinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus (TASCA), at the GSI were performed by using beams of Ca-48 to irradiate targets of Pb206-208, which led to the production of No252-254 isotopes. These studies allowed for evaluation of the performance of TASCA when coupled to a new detector and electronics system. By following these studies, the isotopes of element 114 ((288-291)114) were produced in irradiations of Pu-244 targets with Ca-48 beams at compound nucleus excitation energies around 41.7 and 37.5 MeV, demonstrating TASCA's ability to perform experiments with picobarn-level cross sections. A total of 15 decay chains were observed and were as…

Quantitative molecular plating of large-area 242Pu targets with improved layer properties

Abstract For measurements of the neutron-induced fission cross section of 242Pu, large-area (42 cm2) 242Pu targets were prepared on Ti-coated Si wafers by means of constant current density molecular plating. Radiochemical separations were performed prior to the platings. Quantitative deposition yields (>95%) were determined for all targets by means of alpha-particle spectroscopy. Layer densities in the range of 100–150 μg/cm2 were obtained. The homogeneity of the targets was studied by radiographic imaging. A comparative study between the quality of the layers produced on the Ti-coated Si wafers and the quality of layers grown on normal Ti foils was carried out by applying scanning electron…

Experimental study of the quasifission, fusion-fission, and de-excitation of Cf compound nuclei

Background: The fusion-evaporation reaction at energies around the Coulomb barrier is presently the only way to produce the heaviest elements. However, formation of evaporation residues is strongly hindered due to the competing fusion-fission and quasifission processes. Presently, a full understanding of these processes and their relationships has not been reached.Purpose: This work aims to use new fission measurements and existing evaporation residue and fission excitation function data for reactions forming Cf isotopes to investigate the dependence of the quasifission probability and characteristics on the identities of the two colliding nuclei in heavy element formation reactions.Method:…

Direct Measurement of the Mass Difference ofHo163andDy163Solves theQ-Value Puzzle for the Neutrino Mass Determination

The atomic mass difference of (163)Ho and (163)Dy has been directly measured with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP applying the novel phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. Our measurement has solved the long-standing problem of large discrepancies in the Q value of the electron capture in (163)Ho determined by different techniques. Our measured mass difference shifts the current Q value of 2555(16) eV evaluated in the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2012 [G. Audi et al., Chin. Phys. C 36, 1157 (2012)] by more than 7σ to 2833(30(stat))(15(sys)) eV/c(2). With the new mass difference it will be possible, e.g., to reach in the first phase of the ECHo experiment a statistical sensit…

Recent Upgrades of the SHIPTRAP Setup: On the Finish Line Towards Direct Mass Spectroscopy of Superheavy Elements

With the Penning-trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP at GSI, Darmstadt, it is possible to investigate exotic nuclei in the region of the heaviest elements. Few years ago, challenging experiments led to the direct measurements of the masses of neutron-deficient isotopes with Z = 102,103 around N = 152. Thanks to recent advances in cooling and ion-manipulation techniques, a major technical upgrade of the setup has been recently accomplished to boost its efficiency. At present, the gap to reach more rare and shorter-lived species at the limits of the nuclear landscape has been narrowed. ispartof: pages:423-429 ispartof: Acta Physica Polonica B vol:48 issue:3 pages:423-429 ispartof: location:Zakopa…

Search for elements 119 and 120

A search for production of the superheavy elements with atomic numbers 119 and 120 was performed in the 50Ti+249Bk and 50Ti+249Cf fusion-evaporation reactions, respectively, at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt, Germany. Over four months of irradiation, the 249Bk target partially decayed into 249Cf, which allowed for a simultaneous search for both elements. Neither was detected at cross-section sensitivity levels of 65 and 200 fb for the 50Ti+249Bk and 50Ti+249Cf reactions, respectively, at a midtarget beam energy of Elab=281.5 MeV. The nonobservation of elements 119 and 120 is discussed within the concept of fusion-evaporation reactions including various theoretical pr…

Quartz resonators for penning traps toward mass spectrometry on the heaviest ions

We report on cyclotron frequency measurements on trapped 206,207Pb+ ions by means of the non-destructive Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron-resonance technique at room temperature. In a proof-of-principle experiment using a quartz crystal instead of a coil as a resonator, we have alternately carried out cyclotron frequency measurements for 206Pb+ and 207Pb+ with the sideband coupling method to obtain 21 cyclotron-frequency ratios with a statistical uncertainty of 6 × 10−7. The mean frequency ratio R¯ deviates by about 2σ from the value deduced from the masses reported in the latest Atomic Mass Evaluation. We anticipate that this shift is due to the ion–ion interaction between the simultaneousl…

The upgraded ISOLDE yield database – A new tool to predict beam intensities

At the CERN-ISOLDE facility a variety of radioactive ion beams are available to users of the facility. The number of extractable isotopes estimated from yield database data exceeds 1000 and is still increasing. Due to high demand and scarcity of available beam time, precise experiment planning is required. The yield database stores information about radioactive beam yields and the combination of target material and ion source needed to extract a certain beam along with their respective operating conditions. It allows to investigate the feasibility of an experiment and the estimation of required beamtime. With the increasing demand for ever more exotic beams, needs arise to extend the functi…

Quasifission Dynamics in the Formation of Superheavy Elements

The European physical journal / Web of Conferences 163, 00023 - (2017). doi:10.1051/epjconf/201716300023

Radiochemical study of the kinematics of multi-nucleon transfer reactions in 48Ca + 248Cm collisions 10% above the Coulomb barrier

Abstract The kinematics of multi-nucleon transfer reactions in 48Ca + 248Cm collisions at 262 MeV (center of target) was investigated by using a stacked-foil technique and radiochemical separations of trans-curium elements. Trans-curium isotopes were identified by α-particle spectroscopy. For Fm isotopes, by comparing the centroids of the measured post-neutron emission isotope distributions with the most probable primary mass number predicted by Volkov's generalized Q g g systematics, the missing mass (number of evaporated neutrons) is estimated. The latter is compared with that deduced from the measured centroid of the laboratory angular distribution peaked closely to the grazing angle and…

Search for Electron-Capture Delayed Fission in the New Isotope Md244

The electron-capture decay followed by a prompt fission process was searched for in the hitherto unknown most neutron-deficient Md isotope with mass number 244. Alpha decay with $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle energies of 8.73--8.86 MeV and with a half-life of ${0.30}_{\ensuremath{-}0.09}^{+0.19}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}$ was assigned to $^{244}\mathrm{Md}$. No fission event with a similar half-life potentially originating from spontaneous fissioning of the short-lived electron-capture decay daughter $^{244}\mathrm{Fm}$ was observed, which results in an upper limit of 0.14 for the electron-capture branching of $^{244}\mathrm{Md}$. Two groups of fission events with half-lives of ${0.9}_{\ens…

New Short-Lived IsotopeU221and the Mass Surface NearN=126

Two short-lived isotopes ^{221}U and ^{222}U were produced as evaporation residues in the fusion reaction ^{50}Ti+^{176}Yb at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA. An α decay with an energy of E_{α}=9.31(5)  MeV and half-life T_{1/2}=4.7(7)  μs was attributed to ^{222}U. The new isotope ^{221}U was identified in α-decay chains starting with E_{α}=9.71(5)  MeV and T_{1/2}=0.66(14)  μs leading to known daughters. Synthesis and detection of these unstable heavy nuclei and their descendants were achieved thanks to a fast data readout system. The evolution of the N=126 shell closure and its influence on the stability of uranium isotopes are discussed within the framework of α-decay reduced widt…

Quasifission in heavy and superheavy element formation reactions

Superheavy elements are created in the laboratory by the fusion of two heavy nuclei. The large Coulomb repulsion that makes superheavy elements decay also makes the fusion process that forms them very unlikely. Instead, after sticking together for a short time, the two nuclei usually come apart, in a process called quasifission. Mass-angle distributions give the most direct information on the characteristics and time scales of quasifission. A systematic study of carefully chosen mass-angle distributions has provided information on the global trends of quasifission. Large deviations from these systematics reveal the major role played by the nuclear structure of the two colliding nuclei in de…

First online operation of TRIGA-TRAP

Abstract We report on the successful coupling of the Penning-trap mass spectrometry setup TRIGA-TRAP to the research reactor TRIGA Mainz. This offers the possibility to perform direct high-precision mass measurements of short-lived nuclei produced in neutron-induced fission of a 235 U target located near the reactor core. An aerosol-based gas-jet system is used for efficient transport of short-lived neutron-rich nuclei from the target chamber to a surface ion source. In conjunction with new ion optics and extended beam monitoring capabilities, the experimental setup has been fully commissioned. The design of the surface ion source, efficiency studies and first results are presented.

Extending Penning trap mass measurements with SHIPTRAP to the heaviest elements

Penning-trap mass spectrometry of radionuclides provides accurate mass values and absolute binding energies. Such mass measurements are sensitive indicators of the nuclear structure evolution far away from stability. Recently, direct mass measurements have been extended to the heavy elements nobelium (Z=102) and lawrencium (Z=103) with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP. The results probe nuclear shell effects at N=152. New developments will pave the way to access even heavier nuclides.

The performance of the cryogenic buffer-gas stopping cell of SHIPTRAP

Direct high-precision mass spectrometry of the heaviest elements with SHIPTRAP, at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany, requires high efficiency to deal with the low production rates of such exotic nuclides. A second-generation gas stopping cell, operating at cryogenic temperatures, was developed and recently integrated into the relocated system to boost the overall efficiency. Offline measurements using 223Ra and 225Ac recoil-ion sources placed inside the gas volume were performed to characterize the gas stopping cell with respect to purity and extraction efficiency. In addition, a first online test using the fusion-evaporation residue 254No was performed, resulting in a combined stopping and extrac…

Resonance ionization of holmium for ion implantation in microcalorimeters

Abstract The determination of the electron neutrino mass by calorimetric measurement of the 163 Ho electron capture spectrum requires ultra-pure samples. Several collaborations, like ECHo or HOLMES, intend to employ microcalorimeters into which 163 Ho is implanted as an ion beam. This makes a selective and additionally very efficient ion source for holmium mandatory. For this purpose, laser resonance ionization of stable holmium 165 Ho was studied, using a three step excitation scheme driven by pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers. Five measurements with sample sizes of 10 14 and 10 15 atoms were performed for the efficiency investigation. In average, an excellent ionization efficiency of 32(5) % coul…

Spontaneous fission instability of the neutron-deficient No and Rf isotopes: The new isotope No249

In the heaviest elements, the instability of atomic nuclei against spontaneous fission leads to ever shorter nuclear half-lives. Upon falling below a timescale of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}$ s, the border of existence of isotopes is crossed because this is the timescale on which the formation of atomic shells occurs. Analysis of the experimental data on the spontaneous fission half-lives of Rf isotopes in relation with their expected single-particle orbitals hint at a potentially abrupt decrease in half-lives of unknown neutron-deficient Rf isotopes with neutron numbers $l149$, which suggests that the isotopic border is already almost reached. However, this conjecture, which cannot be explain…

Doubly Magic NucleusHs162108270

Theoretical calculations predict $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$ ($Z=108$, $N=162$) to be a doubly magic deformed nucleus, decaying mainly by $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle emission. In this work, based on a rapid chemical isolation of Hs isotopes produced in the $^{26}\mathrm{Mg}+^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ reaction, we observed 15 genetically linked nuclear decay chains. Four chains were attributed to the new nuclide $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$, which decays by $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle emission with ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=9.02\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ to $^{266}\mathrm{Sg}$ which undergoes spontaneous fission with a half-life of ${444}_{\ensuremath{-}148}^{+444}\text{ }\t…

Direct Mapping of Nuclear Shell Effects in the Heaviest Elements

Quantum-mechanical shell effects are expected to strongly enhance nuclear binding on an "island of stability" of superheavy elements. The predicted center at proton number $Z=114,120$, or $126$ and neutron number $N=184$ has been substantiated by the recent synthesis of new elements up to $Z=118$. However the location of the center and the extension of the island of stability remain vague. High-precision mass spectrometry allows the direct measurement of nuclear binding energies and thus the determination of the strength of shell effects. Here, we present such measurements for nobelium and lawrencium isotopes, which also pin down the deformed shell gap at $N=152$.

Toward large-area targets for “TRAKULA”

Abstract TRAKULA ( Tra nsmutationsrelevante k ernphysikalische U ntersuchungen l anglebiger A ktinide, i.e., nuclear physical investigations of long-lived actinides with relevance to transmutation) is a joint research project of the German Federal Ministry of Science and Education (BMBF) on nuclear physics investigations with modern scientific, technological and numerical methods. Experiments concerning the transmutation of radioactive waste are a central topic of the project. For this, large-area samples (≥40 cm 2 ) of 235,238 U and 239,242 Pu compounds are required for the calibration of fission chambers and for fission yield measurements. Another topic within the project requires large-a…

Observation of mass-asymmetric fission of mercury nuclei in heavy ion fusion

Background: Mass-asymmetric fission has been observed in low energy fission of $^{180}\mathrm{Hg}$. Calculations predicted the persistence of asymmetric fission in this region even at excitation energies of 30--40 MeV.Purpose: To investigate fission mass distributions by populating different isotopes of Hg using heavy ion fusion reactions.Methods: Fission fragment mass-angle distributions have been measured for two reactions, $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}+^{142}\mathrm{Nd}$ and $^{13}\mathrm{C}+^{182}\mathrm{W}$, populating $^{182}\mathrm{Hg}$ and $^{195}\mathrm{Hg}$, respectively, using the Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility and CUBE spectrometer at the Australian National University. Measurements were ma…

Targets on superhydrophobic surfaces for laser ablation ion sources

Target preparation techniques for a laser ablation ion source at the Penning-trap mass spectrometer TRIGA-TRAP have been investigated with regard to future experiments with actinides. To be able to perform mass measurements on these nuclides considering their limited availability, an efficient target preparation technique is mandatory. Here, we report on a new approach for target production using backings, which are pretreated in a way that a superhydrophobic surface is formed. This resulted in improved targets with a more homogeneous distribution of the target material compared to standard techniques with unmodified backings. It was demonstrated that the use of these new targets in a laser…

Observation of the3nEvaporation Channel in the Complete Hot-Fusion ReactionMg26+Cm248Leading to the New Superheavy NuclideHs271

The analysis of a large body of heavy ion fusion reaction data with medium-heavy projectiles ($6\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}18$) and actinide targets suggests a disappearance of the $3n$ exit channel with increasing atomic number of the projectile. Here, we report a measurement of the excitation function of the reaction $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}(^{26}\mathrm{Mg},xn)^{274\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}x}\mathrm{Hs}$ and the observation of the new nuclide $^{271}\mathrm{Hs}$ produced in the $3n$ evaporation channel at a beam energy well below the Bass fusion barrier with a cross section comparable to the maxima of the $4n$ and $5n$ channels. This indicates the possible discovery of new neutron-r…

Fusion reaction Ca48+Bk249 leading to formation of the element Ts ( Z=117 )

The heaviest currently known nuclei, which have up to 118 protons, have been produced in 48Ca induced reactions with actinide targets. Among them, the element tennessine (Ts), which has 117 protons, has been synthesized by fusing 48Ca with the radioactive target 249Bk, which has a half-life of 327 d. The experiment was performed at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA. Two long and two short α decay chains were observed. The long chains were attributed to the decay of 294Ts. The possible origin of the short-decay chains is discussed in comparison with the known experimental data. They are found to fit with the decay chain patterns attributed to 293Ts. The present experimental results confi…

Study of non-fusion products in the Ti50+Cf249 reaction

The isotopic distribution of nuclei produced in the 50Ti + 249Cf reaction has been studied at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI Darmstadt, which separates ions according to differences in magnetic rigidity. The bombardment was performed at an energy around the Bass barrier and with the TASCA magnetic fields set for collecting fusion-evaporation reaction products. Fifty-three isotopes located “north-east” of 208Pb were identified as recoiling products formed in non-fusion channels of the reaction. These recoils were implanted with energies in two distinct ranges; besides one with higher energy, a significant low-energy contribution was identified. The latter observation was not ex…

A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter

We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrin…

Excitation energy dependence of fragment-mass distributions from fission of 180,190 Hg formed in fusion reactions of 36 Ar + 144,154 Sm

Physics letters / B 748, 89 - 94 (2015). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2015.06.068

Spectroscopy along Flerovium Decay Chains: Discovery ofDs280and an Excited State inCn282

A nuclear spectroscopy experiment was conducted to study α-decay chains stemming from isotopes of flerovium (element Z=114). An upgraded TASISpec decay station was placed behind the gas-filled separator TASCA at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany. The fusion-evaporation reactions ^{48}Ca+^{242}Pu and ^{48}Ca+^{244}Pu provided a total of 32 flerovium-candidate decay chains, of which two and eleven were firmly assigned to ^{286}Fl and ^{288}Fl, respectively. A prompt coincidence between a 9.60(1)-MeV α particle event and a 0.36(1)-MeV conversion electron marked the first observation of an excited state in an even-even isotope of the heaviest man-made eleme…

Mechanisms Suppressing Superheavy Element Yields in Cold Fusion Reactions.

Superheavy elements are formed in fusion reactions which are hindered by fast nonequilibrium processes. To quantify these, mass-angle distributions and cross sections have been measured, at beam energies from below-barrier to 25% above, for the reactions of $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$, $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}$, and $^{54}\mathrm{Cr}$ with $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$. Moving from $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ to $^{54}\mathrm{Cr}$ leads to a drastic fall in the symmetric fission yield, which is reflected in the measured mass-angle distribution by the presence of competing fast nonequilibrium deep inelastic and quasifission processes. These are responsible for reduction of the compound nucleus formation probablity ${P}_{CN}$ …

Direct high-precision mass measurements onAm241,243,Pu244, andCf249

The absolute masses of four long-lived transuranium nuclides, $^{241,243}\mathrm{Am}$, $^{244}\mathrm{Pu}$, $^{244}\mathrm{Pu}$, and $^{249}\mathrm{Cf}$, in the vicinity of the deformed $N=152$ neutron shell closure have been measured directly with the Penning-trap mass spectrometer TRIGA-TRAP. Our measurements confirm the AME2012 mass values of $^{241,243}\mathrm{Am}$ and $^{244}\mathrm{Pu}$ within one standard deviation, which were indirectly determined, by decay spectroscopy studies. In the case of the $^{249}\mathrm{Cf}$ mass, a discrepancy of more than three standard deviations has been observed, affecting absolute masses even in the superheavy element region. The implementation of the…

To identify the atomic number of superheavy nuclei produced in Ca-48-induced fusion-evaporation reactions, an experiment aiming at measuring characteristic X-rays is being prepared at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. The gas-filled separator TASCA will be employed, sending the residues towards the multi-coincidence detector setup TASISpec. Two ion-optical modes relying on differing magnetic polarities of the quadrupole magnets can be used at TASCA. New simulations and experimental tests of transmission and background suppression for these two focusing modes into TASISpec are presented.

Fast-neutron-induced fission cross section of Pu242 measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility nELBE

The fast-neutron-induced fission cross section of $^{242}\mathrm{Pu}$ was measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility $n$ELBE. A parallel-plate fission ionization chamber with novel, homogeneous, large-area $^{242}\mathrm{Pu}$ deposits on Si-wafer backings was used to determine this quantity relative to the IAEA neutron cross-section standard $^{235}\mathrm{U}(n,f)$ in the energy range of 0.5 to 10 MeV. The number of target nuclei was determined from the measured spontaneous fission rate of $^{242}\mathrm{Pu}$. This helps to reduce the influence of the fission fragment detection efficiency on the cross section. Neutron transport simulations performed with geant4, mcnp6, and fluka2011 ar…

Elucidation of constant current density molecular plating

Abstract The production of thin layers by means of constant current or constant voltage electrolysis in organic media is commonly known as molecular plating. Despite the fact that this method has been applied for decades and is known to be among the most efficient ones for obtaining quantitative deposition, a full elucidation of the molecular plating is still lacking. In order to get a general understanding of the process and hence set the basis for further improvements of the method, constant current density electrolysis experiments were carried out in a mixture of isopropanol and isobutanol containing millimolar amounts of HNO 3 together with [Nd(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O] used as a model electrol…

Sensitive search for near-symmetric and super-asymmetric fusion-fission of the superheavy element Flerovium (Z=114)

Physics letters / B 820, 136601 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2021.136601

Thermal (n,γ) cross section and resonance integral ofTm171