2022 Impact factor 2.7
Hadrons and Nuclei
Eur. Phys. J. A 15, 195-200 (2002)
DOI: 10.1140/epja/i2001-10253-5

Status and prospects of synthesizing superheavy elements

S. Hofmann

Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung mbH, D-64220 Darmstadt, Germany

S.Hofmann@gsi.de

(Received 21 March 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002)

Abstract
The nuclear shell model predicts that the next doubly magic shell-closure beyond $\chem{^{208}Pb}$ is at a proton number between Z = 114 and 126 and at a neutron number N = 184. The outstanding aim of experimental investigations is the exploration of this region of spherical "Superheavy Elements". This article describes the experiments that were performed at the GSI SHIP. They resulted in an unambiguous identification of elements 107 to 112. They were negative so far in searching for elements 113, 116 and 118 at SHIP; however, positive results were reported from experiments in Dubna on elements 114 and 116 and from experiments in Berkeley on element 118. The measured decay data are compared with theoretical predictions. Some aspects concerning the reaction mechanism and the use of radioactive beams are also presented.

PACS
21.10.Dr - Binding energies and masses.
23.60.+e - Alpha decay.
25.70.-z - Low and intermediate energy heavy-ion reactions.
25.85.Ca - Spontaneous fission.

© Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002