J. B. Roberto

Production and decay of the heaviest odd-Z nuclei in the 249Bk + 48Ca reaction

The reaction of 249Bk with 48Ca has been investigated with an aim of synthesizing and studying the decay properties of isotopes of the new element 117. The experiments were performed at five projectile energies (in two runs, in 2009-2010 and 2012) and with a total beam dose of 48Ca ions of about 9x1019 The experiments yielded data on a-decay characteristics and excitation functions of the produced nuclei that establish these to be 293117 and 294117 – the products of the 4n- and 3n-evaporation channels, respectively. In total, we have observed 20 decay chains of Z=117 nuclides. The cross sections were measured to be 1.1 pb for the 3n and 2.4 pb for the 4n-reaction channel. The new 289115 events, populated by α decay of 117, demonstrate the same decay properties as those observed for 115 produced in the 243Am(48Ca,2n) reaction thus providing cross-bombardment evidence. In addition, a single decay of 294118 was observed from the reaction with 249Cf – a result of the in-growth of 249Cf in the 249Bk target. The observed decay chain of 294118 is in good agreement with decay properties obtained in 2002-2005 in the experiments with the reaction 249Cf(48Ca,3n)294118. The energies and half-lives of the odd-Z isotopes observed in the 117 decay chains together with the results obtained for lower-Z superheavy nuclei demonstrate enhancement of nuclear stability with increasing neutron number towards the predicted new magic number N=184.

New data from the 243Am + 48Ca reaction give cross-bombardment verification of elements 113, 115 and 117

The reaction 243Am + 48Ca has been reinvestigated to provide new evidence for the discovery of elements 113, 115. Twenty eight new 288115 decay chains were detected in this reaction to increase from three to 31 the number of 288115 atoms observed. In addition, four new decay chains were observed for the first time and assigned to the decay of 289115. These new 289115 events have the same properties for their decay chains as those observed for 289115 populated in the alpha decay of 293117 produced in the 249Bk + 48Ca reaction to provide cross-bombardment evidence. These new high statistics data sets and the cross-bombardment agreement provide definitive evidence for the discoveries of the new elements with Z = 113, 115, 117.

Synthesis of the New Element with Z=117

The synthesis of the new chemical element with atomic number Z=117 is presented. The isotopes 293117 and 294117were produced in fusion reactions between 48Ca and 249Bk. The 249Bk was produced in the High Flux Isotope Reactor and chemically separated at Oak Ridge. Decay chains involving eleven new nuclei were identified by means of the Dubna Gas Filled Recoil Separator. The measured decay properties show a strong rise of stability for super-heavy nuclei toward N=184.

Discovery of element 117: Super-heavy elements and the “island of stability”*

ABSTRACT Element 117 (tennessine) joined the periodic table in November 2016. Two tennessine isotopes were synthesized by bombarding 249Bk from Oak Ridge National Laboratory with 48Ca ions at the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research, Russia, and 11 new heaviest isotopes of odd-Z elements were observed in subsequent decay chains. These isotopes exhibit increasing lifetimes as the closed nuclear shell at neutron number N = 184 is approached, providing evidence for the “island of stability” for super-heavy elements. This paper summarizes recent super-heavy element research with a focus on element 117, the role of actinide targets, and opportunities to synthesize elements 119 and 120.

Discovery of Elements 113–118

Discovery and investigation of the “Island of stability” of superheavy nuclei at the separator DGFRS in the 238U-249Cf+48Ca reactions is reviewed. The results are compared with the data obtained in chemistry experiments and at the separators SHIP, BGS, TASCA, and GARIS. The synthesis of the heaviest nuclei, their decay properties, and methods of identification are discussed and compared with the criteria that must be satisfied for claiming the discovery of a new chemical element. The role of shell effects in the stability of superheavy nuclei is demonstrated by comparison of the experimental results with empirical systematics and theoretical data.

Study of neutron-deficient isotopes of Fl in the239Pu,240Pu +48Ca reactions

The results of the experiments aimed at the synthesis of Fl isotopes in the 239Pu + 48Ca and 240Pu + 48Ca reactions are presented. The experiment was performed using the Dubna gas-filled recoil separator at the U400 cyclotron. In the 239Pu+48Ca experiment one decay of spontaneously fissioning 284Fl was detected at 245-MeV beam energy. In the 240Pu+48Ca experiment three decay chains of 285Fl were detected at 245 MeV and four decays were assigned to 284Fl at the higher 48Ca beam energy of 250 MeV. The α-decay energy of 285Fl was measured for the first time and decay properties of its descendants 281Cn, 277Ds, 273Hs, 269Sg, and 265Rf were determined more precisely. The cross section of the 239Pu(48Ca,3n)284Fl reaction was observed to be about 20 times lower than those predicted by theoretical models and 50 times less than the value measured in the 244Pu+48Ca reaction. The cross sections of the 240Pu(48Ca,4-3n)284,285Fl at both 48Ca energies are similar and exceed that observed in the reaction with lighter isotope 239Pu by a factor of 10. The decay properties of the synthesized nuclei and their production cross sections indicate rapid decrease of stability of superheavy nuclei with departing from the neutron number N=184 predicted to be the next magic number.