Discovery of the Heaviest Elements

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• The techniques for the discovery of new elements

  • Ion sources, accelerators, and targets

  • Separation in flight

  • The identification of single atoms

  • Statistical treatment of single-atom chains

• Experimental results

  • Discoveries of the heaviest elements

  • Priorities in discoveries and naming

  • Stability against fission

  • The macroscopic-microscopic model

  • Shell–correction energies

  • Fission barriers

  • Half-lives

• Production of the heaviest elements

  • The fusion-evaporation reaction

  • Fusion of massive systems and the extra push

  • Cold fussion - the way to superheavy elements

  • Prospects for new elements in the spherical region Z = 114 and N = 184

  • Future perspectives

• Conclusion

• Acknowledgement

• References