Influence of projectile neutron number on cross section in cold fusion reactions

Elements 107-112 [1,2] have been discovered in reactions between {sup 208}Pb or {sup 209}Bi targets and projectiles ranging from {sup 54}Cr through {sup 70}Zn. In such reactions, the compound nucleus can be formed at excitation energies as low as {approx}12 MeV, thus this type of reaction has been referred to as 'cold fusion'. The study of cold fusion reactions is an indispensable approach to gaining a better understanding of heavy element formation and decay. A theoretical model that successfully predicts not only the magnitudes of cold fusion cross sections, but also the shapes of excitation functions and the cross section ratios between various reaction pairs was recently developed by Swiatecki, Siwek-Wilczynska, and Wilczynski [3,4]. This theoretical model, also referred to as Fusion by Diffusion, has been the guide in all of our cold fusion studies. One particularly interesting aspect of this model is the large predicted difference in cross sections between projectiles differing by two neutrons. The projectile pair where this difference is predicted to be largest is {sup 48}Ti and {sup 50}Ti. To test and extend this model, {sup 208}Pb({sup 48}Ti,n){sup 255}Rf and {sup 208}Pb({sup 50}Ti,n){sup 257}Rf excitation functions were recently measured at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (LBNL) 88-Inch Cyclotron utilizing the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS). The {sup 50}Ti reaction was carried out with thin lead targets ({approx}100 {micro}g/cm{sup 2}), and the {sup 48}Ti reaction with both thin and thick targets ({approx}470 {micro}g/cm{sup 2}). In addition to this reaction pair, reactions with projectile pairs {sup 52}Cr and {sup 54}Cr [5], {sup 56}Fe and {sup 58}Fe [6], and {sup 62}Ni [7] and {sup 64}Ni [8] will be discussed and compared to the Fusion by Diffusion predictions. The model predictions show a very good agreement with the data

The influence of projectile neutron number in the 208Pb(48Ti, n)255Rf and 208Pb(50Ti, n)257Rf reactions

Four isotopes of rutherfordium,254-257Rf, were produced by the 208Pb(48Ti, xn)256-xRf and 208Pb(50Ti, xn)258-xRf reactions (x = 1, 2) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron. Excitation functions were measured for the 1n and 2n exit channels. A maximum likelihood technique, which correctly accounts for the changing cross section at all energies subtended by the targets, was used to fit the 1n data to allow a more direct comparison between excitation functions obtained under different experimental conditions. The maximum 1n crosssections of the 208Pb(48Ti, n)255Rf and 208Pb(50Ti, n)257Rf reactions obtained from fits to the experimental data are 0.38 +/- 0.07 nb and 40 +/-5 nb, respectively. Excitation functions for the 2n exit channel were also measured, with maximum cross sections of nb for the 48Ti induced reaction, and 15.7 +/- 0.2 nb for the 50Ti induced reaction. The impact of the two neutron difference in the projectile on the 1n cross section is discussed. The results are compared to the Fusion by Diffusion model developed by Swiatecki, Wilczynska, and Wilczynski

Entrance-channel effects in odd-Z tranactinide compound nucleus reactions

Swiatecki, Siwek-Wilczynska, and Wilczynski's 'Fusion By Diffusion' description [1] of transactinide (TAN) compound nucleus (CN) formation utilizes a three-step model. The first step is the 'sticking', or capture, which can be calculated relatively accurately. The second step is the probability for the formation of a CN by 'diffusion' analogous to that of Brownian motion. Lastly, there exists the probability of the CN 'surviving' deexcitation by neutron emission, which competes with fission and other de-excitation modes. This model predicts and reproduces cross sections typically within a factor of two. Producing the same CN with different projectile-target pairs is a very sensitive way to test entrance channel effects on heavy element production cross sections. If the same CN is produced at or near the same excitation energy the survival portion of the theory is nearly identical for the two reactions. This method can be used as a critical test of the novel 'diffusion' portion of the model. The reactions producing odd-Z TAN CN such as Db, Bh, Mt, and Rg (Z = 105, 107, 109, and 111, respectively) were first studied using even-Z projectiles on {sup 209}Bi targets (as opposed to odd-Z projectiles on {sup 208}Pb targets) because lower effective fissility [2] was expected to lead to larger cross sections. Many odd-Z projectile reactions producing odd-Z CN had not been studied in-depth until very recently. We have completed studies of these reaction pairs with the 88-Inch Cyclotron and the Berkeley Gas-Filled Separator (BGS) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), see Figure 1. Cross section ratios for several pairs of reactions will be presented and compared with theory

Energy Flow in the Hadronic Final State of Diffractive and Non-Diffractive Deep-Inelastic Scattering at HERA

An investigation of the hadronic final state in diffractive and non--diffractive deep--inelastic electron--proton scattering at HERA is presented, where diffractive data are selected experimentally by demanding a large gap in pseudo --rapidity around the proton remnant direction. The transverse energy flow in the hadronic final state is evaluated using a set of estimators which quantify topological properties. Using available Monte Carlo QCD calculations, it is demonstrated that the final state in diffractive DIS exhibits the features expected if the interaction is interpreted as the scattering of an electron off a current quark with associated effects of perturbative QCD. A model in which deep--inelastic diffraction is taken to be the exchange of a pomeron with partonic structure is found to reproduce the measurements well. Models for deep--inelastic $ep$ scattering, in which a sizeable diffractive contribution is present because of non--perturbative effects in the production of the hadronic final state, reproduce the general tendencies of the data but in all give a worse description.Comment: 22 pages, latex, 6 Figures appended as uuencoded fil

Systematic evidence for quasifission in 9Be-, 12C-, and 16O-induced reactions forming 258, 260No

Background: Cross sections for the formation of superheavy elements (SHE) by heavy ion fusion are suppressed by the competing quasifission process. This results in a fissionlike decay after capture but before formation of a compact compound nucleus. Fast quasifission is evident from very mass-asymmetric fission, focused in angle. In contrast, slow quasifission shows no significant mass-angle correlation, and a mass distribution peaked at symmetry. However, it shows angular distributions more anisotropic than those calculated for fission following fusion. Following fusion, low excitation energies should increase SHE survival through reduced competition from fission. However, in reactions with deformed actinide target nuclei, subbarrier fusion is highly suppressed by both fast and slow quasifission

Fundamental aspects of molecular plating and production of smooth crack-free Nd targets

A general understanding of the molecular plating process was obtained recently, which serves as a first step towards further improvements of the method aiming, for example, at the production of smooth, crackfree targets for nuclear physics applications. Constant current density electrolysis experiments were performed in organic media containing the model electrolyte Nd(NO3)3 6H2O. The process was investigated by considering influences of the electrolyte concentration (0.11, 0.22, 0.44 mM), the surface roughness of the deposition substrates (a few tens of nm), and the plating solvent (an isopropanol/isobutanol mixture, and N,N-dimethylformamide). The response of the process to changes of these parameters was monitored by recording cell potential curves and by characterizing the obtained deposits with c-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. By changing the solvent from isopropanol/isobutanol mixtures to N,N-dimethylformamide, we have succeeded in producing smooth, crack-free Nd targets

Elucidation of constant current density molecular plating

The production of thin layers by means of constant current or constant voltage electrolysis in organic media is commonly known as molecular plating. Despite the fact that this method has been applied for decades and is known to be among the most efficient ones for obtaining quantitative deposition, a full elucidation of the molecular plating is still lacking. In order to get a general understanding of the process and hence set the basis for further improvements of the method, constant current density electrolysis experiments were carried out in a mixture of isopropanol and isobutanol containing millimolar amounts of HNO3 together with [Nd(NO3)3.6H2O] used as a model electrolyte. The process was investigated by considering the influence of different parameters, namely the electrolyte concentrations (i.e.,Nd(NO3)3.6H2O: 0.11, 0.22, 0.44 mM, and HNO3: 0.3, 0.4 mM), the applied current (i.e., 2 mA and 6 mA), and the surface roughness of the deposition substrates (i.e., a few tens to several hundreds of nm). The response of the process to changes of these parameters was monitored recording cell potential curves, which showed to be strongly influenced by the investigated conditions. The produced layers were characterized using g-ray spectroscopy for the evaluation of Nd deposition yields, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for chemical analysis of the surfaces, and atomic force microscopy for surface roughness evaluation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results clearly indicate that Nd is present only as Nd3+ on the cathodic surface after molecular plating. The results obtained from this characterization and some basic features inferred from the study of the cell potential curves were used to interpret the different behaviours of the deposition processes as a consequence of the applied variables

Heavy-ion-induced production and preseparation of short-livedisotopes for chemistry experiments

Physical separation of short-lived isotopes produced inheavy-ion-induced fusion reactions is a powerful and well know method andoften applied in investigations of the heaviest elements, called thetransactinides (Z>=104). By extracting these isotopes from a recoilseparator, they can be made available for transport to setups locatedoutside the heavily shielded irradiation position such as chemistrysetups. This physical preseparation technique overcomes many limitationscurrently faced in the chemical investigation of transactinides. Here wedescribe the basic principle using relatively short-lived isotopes of thelighter group 4 elements zirconium (Zr) and hafnium (Hf) that are used asanalogs of the lightest transactinide element, rutherfordium (Rf, element104). The Zr and Hf isotopes were produced at the LBNL 88-Inch Cyclotronusing a cocktail of 18O and 50Ti beams and the appropriate targets.Subsequently, the isotopes were physically separated in the BerkeleyGas-filled Separator (BGS) and guided to a Recoil Transfer Chamber (RTC)to transfer them to chemistry setups. The magnetic rigidities of thereaction products in low-pressure helium gas were measured and theiridentities determined with gamma-pectroscopy. Using preseparated isotopeshas the advantages of low background and beam plasma free environment forchemistry experiments. The new possibilities that open up for chemicalinvestigations of transactinide elements are descr ibed. The method canreadily be applied to homologous elements within other groups in theperiodic table