Stable isotopes for heavy element production

Abstract

The synthesis of heavy elements and the search for new superheavy elements is one of the exciting fields in modern nuclear physics and chemistry. Heavy elements are produced by heavy-ion fusion reactions. Necessary prerequisites are intense heavy-ion beams from pure isotopic material and thin isotopically enriched targets. At GSI the elements from 107 to 112 were produced using targets of Pb and Bi and beams of the most neutron rich isotopes of Cr, Fe, Ni, and Zn.¹ We present the experimental set-up consisting of target wheel, velocity filter SHIP (Separator for Heavy Ion Reaction Products), and detector system. We shortly describe the status of the ion source techniques for delivering intense and stable beams for this kind of experiment.² The manufacturing and properties of various source - target combinations used for the synthesis of the elements by now are discussed in detail as well as the possibilities for extending the experiments into the region of superheavy elements.³