Search

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 out of the target are separated according to their magnetic rigidity within TASCA, and the wanted products are guided to the focal plane of TASCA. In the focal plane, they pass a thin Mylar window that separates the ∼1 mbar atmosphere in TASCA from the RTC kept at ∼1 bar. The ions are stopped in the RTC and transported by a continuous gas flow from the RTC to the ancillary setup. In this paper, we report on measurements of the transportation yields under various conditions and on the first chemistry experiments at TASCA—an electrochemistry experiment with osmium and an ion exchange experiment with the transactinide element rutherfordium.

Summary A search for the α-decay of 239Cm was carried out via the fusion reaction 232Th(12C,5n) 239Cm at GSI, applying nuclear chemistry techniques. The 239Cm α-decay would provide a link between known nuclear masses and α-decay energies measured in the region of the superheavy elements. Three different 12C beam energies were chosen in the present experiments. The α peaks of 238,240Cm were observed clearly at a 12C energy of 74 MeV, while 238Cm disappeared at 70 MeV to provide an undisturbed α-spectrum for a sensitive search of 239Cm decay. No α-events between 6.34 and 6.50 MeV, which could be assigned to 239Cm with confidence, were observed in this experiment. The upper limit of the α-branch of 239Cm was less than 1.0×10−5.

At GSI the gas-filled separator TASCA (TransActinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus) was set up to investigate the chemical and physical properties of the heaviest elements making use of the highest beam intensities available [ www.gsi.de/tasca ; M. Schadel, D. Ackermann, A. Semchenkov, A. Turler, GSI Scientific Report 2005, GSI Report 2006-1, p. 262]. Appropriate backings and targets have to be developed. Conceivable backing materials are aluminium, titanium, and carbon. Aluminium backings and titanium backings in different thickness and from different companies are produced by cold rolling. Deposition by resistance heating is applied for carbon backings. For experiments in a chemically active atmosphere, beryllium has to be employed as backing, which is commercially available and produced by cold rolling. The task is to find the best material and thickness for backings to withstand two different processes: the electrodeposition, applied for the production of lanthanide and actinide targets at the Institut fur Kernchemie, at the Universitat Mainz [K. Eberhardt, et al., Contribution to this conference; D. Liebe, et al., Contribution to this conference], on the one hand, and deposition by thermal evaporation and sputtering on the other. We report on first tests with targets of uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) and metallic uranium on various backings. In addition, the behaviour and durability will be described for the different backing–target combinations in a C-beam and in an Mg beam. For the upcoming beam time U, 208 PbS, 144 Sm, 154 Sm, and Gd are required.

The β-decay of 105Sn was re-investigated at the ISOL facility of GSI Darmstadt by using a total absorption spectrometer. The experimental results include the half-life and β-delayed proton branching ratio of 32.7(5)s and 1.1(4) . 10-4, respectively, and the contribution of electron capture to the 105Sn decay of 0.420(35). The Gamow-Teller strength distribution peaking at 3.6MeV was measured, yielding a summed Gamow-Teller strength of 3.0(4). The latter data are discussed in comparison with shell-model predictions based on an empirical interaction.

Summary Two experiments aiming at the chemical investigation of element 112 produced in the heavy ion induced nuclear fusion reaction of 48Ca with 238U were performed at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Darmstadt, Germany. Both experiments were designed to determine the adsorption enthalpy of element 112 on a gold surface using a thermochromatography setup. The temperature range covered in the thermochromatography experiments allowed the adsorption of Hg at about 35 °C and of Rn at about -180 °C. Reports from the Flerov Laboratory for Nuclear Reactions (FLNR), Dubna, Russia claim production of a 5-min spontaneous fission (SF) activity assigned to 283112 for the 238U(48Ca,3n) 283112 reaction. Hence, Experiment I was designed to detect spontaneously fissioning (SF) isotopes of element 112 with half-lives (t 1/2) longer than about 20 s. 11 high-energy events were detected. 7 events exhibit a deposition pattern resembling a chromatographic peak in the vicinity of Rn deposition. However, the energy of the events observed in Experiment I was lower than expected for a SF-decay of 283112. Therefore, these events could not be unambiguously attributed to the decay of 283112. In contradiction with earlier publications newer reports from FLNR Dubna claim that 283112 decays by α-particle emission (E α = 9.5 MeV) with t 1/2 = 4 s followed by a SF-decay of 279Ds (t 1/2 = 0.2 s). Therefore, Experiment II was designed to be sensitive to both claimed decay properties of 283112. However, during this experiment neither short α-SF correlations nor SF coincidences were detected. The conclusion is that 283112 was not unambiguously detected, neither in Experiment I nor in Experiment II.

The folding- and azimuthal-angle and velocity distributions for the238U fission fragments have been measured in reactions with 100, 500, and 1000 A·MeV208Pb. These distributions were used to decompose the fission cross section into its electromagnetic and nuclear components. The fraction of electromagnetic fission was found to be 0.16±0.07, 0.48±0.08, and 0.60±0.04, respectively. The electromagnetic fission cross section as a function of the208Pb nucleus energy is compared with theoretical predictions. The measured fission cross section from nuclear reactions (≈1.5 b) is approximately constant between 100 and 1000 A·MeV.

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 assigned to the decay of 288-291114. A new a-decay branch in (281)Ds was observed, leading to the new nucleus (277)Hs. (Less)

Cross sections for the electromagnetic dissociation of [sup 197]Au targets by 1.7 GeV/nucleon [sup 20]Ne and 1 GeV/nucleon [sup 86]Kr, [sup 197]Au, and [sup 209]Bi beams have been measured by an activation method. We observe systematic discrepancies between the experimental data and a simple Weizsaecker-Williams calculation: For the heaviest projectiles, the calculation overpredicts the 1[ital n] cross sections, whereas the 2[ital n] and 3[ital n] cross sections are systematically underpredicted. The deviations can be significantly reduced, however, by calculations including isoscalar and isovector giant quadrupole excitations as well as the possibility to excite multiphonon states. The most important experimental result of the present study is the observation of large cross sections for three-neutron removal from [sup 197]Au with [sup 197]Au and [sup 209]Bi projectiles which can only be explained by a dominant contribution from two-phonon giant dipole excitation. For an almost quantitative reproduction for all [ital xn] channels observed, we have to assume a higher excitation probability by roughly a factor of 2 for the double giant dipole resonance as compared to the harmonic approach.

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 after a lifetime of 4.5 ms.

A new nuclide $^{263}\mathrm{Ha}$ was produced in the bombardment of a $^{249}\mathrm{Bk}$ target with 93-MeV $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ ions. It was detected via spontaneous fission counting and was shown to have a half-life of about 0.5 min. This activity was also separated from the reaction products by automated rapid chemical separations using cation-exchange chromatography in 0.05M \ensuremath{\alpha}-hydroxyisobutyric acid. After chemical separation, $^{263}\mathrm{Ha}$ was found to decay by spontaneous fission (${57}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}15}^{+13}$%) and by \ensuremath{\alpha} emission (${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$=8.35 MeV, 43%) with a half-life of ${27}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}7}^{+10}$ s. The spontaneous fission fragment energy spectrum is compatible with an average total kinetic energy of about 200 MeV.

The decays of the neutron deficient nuclei 94,95Ag, 100,102In and 102Sn were investigated at the GSI on‐line mass separator. The Gamow‐Teller decay of 100,102In and 102Sn was studied by using an array of germanium detectors and a total absorption spectrometer. In 94Ag and 95Ag, spin‐gap isomers were identified and their decays were investigated. Results obtained in these studies are discussed and compared to predictions of shell model calculations.

Fusion reactions of 48 Ca projectiles with 180 Hf, 184 W, 197 Au, 208 Pb and 209 Bi targets were studied. Highest cross sections were found in the 208 Pb( 48 Ca,2n) 254 No channel with σ max 3.2 ± 0.3 μb. The results of the heavier systems are discussed in terms of the extra — push model. For the lighter systems missing cross section is observed if compared to estimates made by the evaporation code HIVAP.

Integral fission cross sections in the system238U+238U were measured at beam energies below the interaction barrierVC. Scattering angle dependent probabilities and integral cross sections for Coulomb fission were calculated. It is concluded that earlier observed discrepancies between measured and calculated angular distributions for the one-neutron transfer product239U cannot be explained by sequential fission. Multi-nucleon transfer induced fission is observed down to energies (0.90±0.02)×VC.

Fission-fragment angular distributions were measured in the reaction of40Ar with208Pb near the fusion barrier. For nearly symmetric mass-/charge splits we find angular distributions symmetric around θ=90 degrees, however, with unusually large anisotropies. These develop gradually into forward-backward asymmetric distributions as one moves away from mass-/charge symmetry. This indicates that non-compound fission (‘quasi-fission’) competes with true fusion-fission. The relative contribution of quasi-fission to the total fission cross section is somewhere between 51 and 85%. In the framework of the extra-push model this is equivalent to an extra-extra push energy for compound-nucleus formation inside the true fission saddle point of 4

Radiochemically determined cross sections $\ensuremath{\sigma}(Z, A)$ were used to construct charge and mass distributions for the reaction of 1785-MeV $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ ions with thick $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ targets. Fission of the colliding nuclei is found to dominate. For the surviving uraniumlike fragments an enhancement of yields compared to the Kr + U and Xe + U reactions is observed. The formation of heavy actinides is shown to be associated with the low-energy tails of the broad excitation energy distributions in damped collisions.

Negative results for the production of superheavy elements in damped collisions between $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ projectiles and $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ targets are reported. This reaction was believed to permit a closer and more widespread approach to the predicted island of stability near Z=114 and N=184 than any practical fusion reaction. Aqueous and gas phase chemistry techniques were used to isolate superheavy element fractions. The fractions were counted for spontaneous fission activity, fragment kinetic energies, and neutron multiplicities. Cross-section limits for half-lives from hours to several years are g4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}35}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.

We report radiochemically determined cross sections for the heaviest known actinides produced in transfer reactions of /sup 16,18/O and /sup 22/Ne with /sup 254/Es as a target. A comparison with data for similar transfers from /sup 248/Cm targets is made. Transfer cross sections are extrapolated for the production of the unknown, neutron-rich isotopes of elements 101 through 105, and the unique potential of /sup 254/Es as a target to make these exotic nuclei accessible is demonstrated.

New attempts have been made to synthesize superheavy elements (SHE) by nuclear reactions that may possibly form the products at low excitation energies. Survival of the superheavy elements would then be enhanced because of reduced losses from prompt fission. Classical and diffusion model calculations of deepinelastic reactions indicate there should be detectable yields of SHE formed with less than 30 MeV of excitation energy. Accrdingly, uperheavy elements have been sought in ch reactions where targets of 8Cm and 28U have been irradiated with 136Xe and '8U ions. In the most recent experiments, targets of 248Cm metal (3.5-7 mg-cm-2) were bombarded with l.8-GeV 238U ions from the UNILAC accelerator. The longer-lived SHEs and actinides near the target Z were chemically separated and the yields of a number of isotopes of Bk, Cf, Es, and Fm were measured. An upper limit of 30 nb was obtained for the formation of 1-h 259No. In addition, to the off-line chemical recovery and search for SHE's, we performed an on-line experiment to detect volatile SHE's with half lives of a minute or more. All experiments to produce and detect superheavy elements were much less than optimum because of premature failures in the Cm-metal targets. The outcome and status of these experiments, and the implications of the actinide Xields in estimating the chances for forming superheavy elements in the 248Cm + 28U reactions are discussed. The transfer of many nucleons together with little excitation energy in damped collisions seems an extremely attractive method of synthesizing superheavy elements and neutron-rich actinides (Ref. 1 & 2). For the products to survive prompt fission, the net diffusion of energy to the heavy fragment during the collision must be lower than 20 to 30 MeV. Thus, damped collisions accompanied by large mass transfer appears to be the only feasible way to accomplish this, since no compound-nucleus reaction to form elements around Z = 114 leads to anything less than 30-40 MeV of excitation energy. On the basis of ailability and he favorable cross sections predicted (Ref. 3), we selected the reaction of 2ioU ions with 24oCm target nuclei as the optimum combination that we could currently employ to produce superheavy elements (SHE). Accordingly, in two months of periodic U bombardments at GSI, we have used this reaction for the first time to search for SHE's. In addition, we have bombarded a target of 248Cm with 136Xe in collaboration with our colleagues at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) (Ref. 4). One of the major purposes of these bombardments was to determine the extent of nucleon-transfer to the target as the projectiles Z and A increased. We could then compare these results with our previous actinide yields measured for rnsfer reactions in collisions of 48Ca with 248Cm (Ref. 5) and with the yields from the '3°U + 24°Cm reaction. Of primary concern was the survival probability of the highly fissionable transcurium isotopes as a function of mass, angular momentum, and energy transfer by the projectile. Because of energy transfer and resultant nuclear excitation, nearly all collisions cause either prompt or sequential fission. Most of the heavy products that survive are formed in the low-energy tails of the energy-loss distribution (Ref. 6 & 7). However, due to the mass and energy balance required in nuclear reactions, it is possible for processes accompanied by large mass and energy transfer to lead to products in relatively low excjation states if Qgci is sufficiently negative (Ref. 8). Among the projectiles studied, ' Ca has the lowest Qgg which, therefore, reduces the energy available for dissipation and excitation. Thus, by studying the production of highly-fissionable, nearby actinides by transfer reaction, we had hoped to shed some light on forming superheavy elements by the same reaction

A rotating wheel system for the detection of spontaneously fissioning reaction products from heavy ion reactions was developed. In this system products recoiling from a rotating target wheel are stopped in a catcher foil stack which can be rotated at various velocities up to 80 rotations per second. All products emitted within a wide emission cone are stopped in the catcher foils and are rotated into shielded positions with stationary fission-track detectors positioned on both sides of each rotating foil. This technique allows a sensitive detection of spontaneously fissioning nuclides over a broad range of half-lives from 1 ms to about 1 d. By post-bombardment exposure of the catchers to new fission-track detectors, the half-lives covered can be extended to about 1 y. From their range and angular distributions within the catcher foils, heavy-ion fusion products can be distinguished from nuclides produced in damped collisions, and excitation functions can be extracted.

Fast automated on-line and quasi-on-line radiochemical techniques are applied to search for new isotopes, to measure their decay characteristics and to study the cross sections of the heaviest most neutron-rich actinide isotopes in reactions of 16,18O and 22Ne projectiles with 254Es as a target. The measured yields for isotopes up to lawrencium-260 are three or more orders of magnitude higher than in any other reaction used so far. A comparison with data for similar transfers from 248Cm targets is made. Transfer cross sections are extrapolated for the production of unknown, neutron-rich isotopes of elements 101 through 105, and the unique potential of 254Es as a target to make these exotic nuclei accessible is demonstrated.

Radiochemical yield measurements were performed to study mass- and charge distributions in the reaction of76Ge ions with170Er in the c.m. energy range from 222 MeV through 272 MeV. The magnitude of the resulting cross-section for fusion-fission is significantly lower than expected and is explained within the framework of Swiatecki's Extra-Push model.

A search for superheavy elements was made in bombardments of $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ with $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ ions performed at projectile energies close to the interaction barrier in order to keep the excitation energy of the compound nucleus $Z=116$, $A=296$ as low as possible. No evidence for superheavy nuclei was obtained in a half-life region from 1 \ensuremath{\mu}s to 10 yr with a production cross section greater than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}34}$ to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}35}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.

A search was made for spontaneously fissioning superheavy elements in damped collisions of two uranium nuclei. Different techniques were applied covering the elements 108 to 118 and approx. =126, and a half-life range from 1 ms to more than 1 yr. No evidence for superheavy elements was found at upper cross-section limits of 10/sup -32/, 10/sup -33/, and 10/sup -35/ cm/sup 2/ for half-lives from 1 to 100 ms, 100 ms to 1 d, and 1 d to 1 yr, respectively.

Cross sections for the production of heavy actinides in damped collisions of $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ ions with $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ targets are reported and compared with similar data for other projectiles. The relatively small differences in the formation rates of a given isotope made by different projectiles indicate a balance between increased mass transfer probability with increasing projectile mass and a concurrent decrease in survivability because of an increase in excitation energy.

Yields for isotopes of Rn through Pu have been measured in the reaction /sup 48/Ca+/sup 248/Cm at an energy of 248--263 MeV (1.04--1.10 times the Coulomb barrier). Despite the low bombarding energy, high and essentially constant integral yields of about 1 to 2 mb for the elements Rn through U were observed. There is evidence that these nuclides are produced with little excitation energy.

A search for superheavy elements which are expected to occur around the predicted nuclear shell closures at atomic number 114 and neutron number 184 was made in bombardments of 248 Cm with 48 Ca ions. We have carried out this search at energies close to the Coulomb barrier to keep the excitation energy of the compound nucleus Z = 116, A = 296 as low as possible. The experiments were performed at the accelerators SUPERHILAC (Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL)) and UNILAC (GSI) and used a variety of improved physical and chemical techniques for the isolation and detection of superheavy elements to increase the sensitivity relative to earlier experiments. The small-angle separator system (SASSY) at LBL and the separator for heavy-ion reaction products (SHIP) at GSI were used for shortlived nuclides, and several radiochemical techniques were applied for longer half-lives. Although a broad range of half-lives, 10 −6 to 10 8 s, and excitation energies, 16 to 40 MeV, has been examined, no evidence for the formation of superheavy elements with cross sections greater than 10 −34 to 10 −35 cm 2 was found.

A search with radiochemical methods for long-lived superheavy elements in 238U targets bombarded with intense beams of136Xe ions produced negative results. A formation cross section of ≤1×10−35 cm2 is deduced at 95% confidence level for nuclides with half-lives between 1 and 200 d.

In the bombardment of a 270μg/cm 2 180Hf target with48 Ca projectiles at a primary beam energy of E/A=4.24 MeV/u the new nuclide225U was produced. The experiment was performed at the velocity filter SHIP. 225U was found to decay by α emission with Eα=(7880 ±20) keV (≈90%), (7830±20) keV (≈10%) and has a half-life ofT 1/2=(80 −20 +40 ms).