Atom-at-a-Time Radioactive Molecule Identification: Looking toward Studies of Superheavy Elements

The chemical behavior of superheavy elements (SHEs, Z > 103) remains poorly understood. Their chemical properties are expected to deviate from established trends, challenging the predictive power of the periodic table. To investigate these elements experimentally, they must first be synthesized through nuclear reactions and then quickly subjected to chemical studies before they decay. Given the low production rates of these reactions and the need for measurements on an atom-at-a-time basis, innovative techniques are needed. To address these challenges, a novel gas-phase chemistry method has been developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, utilizing the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator and FIONA. This technique enables the production, identification, and study of molecular species formed by SHEs. As a proof of concept, we present measurements on the formation and identification of ^151,152HoO⁺ molecules, demonstrating the capability to study the production of radioactive molecules under controlled conditions and directly identify them via their mass-to-charge ratio. These measurements validate the effectiveness of this technique for low-statistics SHE studies, highlighting the potential of this approach to ignite the next generation of experimental SHE chemistry research, offering a path to re-evaluate SHE placement on the periodic table.