In-Flight X-Ray Measurements: A Technique for Identification of Superheavy Elements

Abstract

In energetic heavy-ion-atom collisions there is an extremely high probability for producing electron holes in inner shells of the collision partners. The resulting high x-ray yield opens the possibility of detecting superheavy elements by their collision-induced characteristic x rays. A $Z$ determination of fast recoils with lifetimes longer than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ sec seems to be possible. The applicability of the method is discussed.