In-flight separation of rare heavy transfer products with a velocity filter

Abstract

Multinucleon transfer reactions are considered as a possible pathway to synthesize new heavy and superheavy nuclei. Regarding the expected small yields of exotic transfer products, efficient separation and detection techniques, which allow the identification of single nuclei, are mandatory. Our approach is to use a velocity filter for separation of (super)heavy transfer products. Respective experiments which we performed at GSI Helmholtz Center revealed promising results. The method allowed us for the first time a discovery of new transuranium isotopes produced in transfer reactions, the observation of the so far heaviest and most neutron-rich transfer product 260No, related with the so far smallest measured transfer cross-section of 0.5 nb.