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New superheavy element isotopes: ²⁴²Pu(⁴⁸Ca,5n) ²⁸⁵114.

P A Ellison¹, K E Gregorich, J S Berryman

¹Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Physical Review Letters

|January 15, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists synthesized the new superheavy element ²⁸⁵114 using calcium-48 and plutonium-242. Its alpha decay chain provided insights into nuclear shell effects in superheavy elements.

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Area of Science:

Nuclear Physics
Superheavy Element Research
Nuclear Chemistry

Background:

Superheavy elements (SHEs) represent the furthest extension of the periodic table.
Understanding their nuclear structure is crucial for testing nuclear models and exploring the island of stability.
Previous studies have focused on the production and decay properties of SHEs, but further investigation into neutron-deficient isotopes is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize and characterize the new neutron-deficient superheavy element isotope ²⁸⁵114.
To investigate the alpha decay chain of ²⁸⁵114 and its daughter nuclides.
To compare measured alpha-decay Q values with theoretical models to understand superheavy element shell effects.

Main Methods:

Production of ²⁸⁵114 via ⁴⁸Ca bombardment of ²⁴²Pu targets.
Detection of alpha decay chains and spontaneous fission events.
Analysis of alpha-decay Q values using a macroscopic-microscopic nuclear mass model.

Main Results:

Successful synthesis of the new isotope ²⁸⁵114.
Observation of sequential alpha decay through daughter nuclides: 281Cn, 277Ds, 273Hs, and 269Sg.
Identification of spontaneous fission decay for 265Rf.
Measured cross section for the ²⁴²Pu(⁴⁸Ca,5n)²⁸⁵114 reaction was 0.6(-0.5)+0.9 pb.

Conclusions:

The new isotope ²⁸⁵114 was successfully produced and its decay properties were characterized.
The decay chain provides valuable data for nuclear structure models in the superheavy region.
The comparison of decay energies with theoretical predictions offers insights into nuclear shell effects in superheavy elements.