According to the Science XXI portal, at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), located in Dubna, the construction of an advanced installation called PASTEkh will begin soon. This compact yet powerful system will be used to study the structure of different materials in detail at the atomic level. Its creation would be an important step in preparing to carry out one of the most ambitious projects in modern physics – the synthesis of the 119th chemical element, which does not yet exist.
The decision to launch this project was approved at the meeting of the JINR Program Advisory Committee on Nuclear Physics. The complex is expected to be created on the basis of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems within two years. The operating principle of PASTEkh is based on positron annihilation spectroscopy, which involves irradiating samples with a low-energy positron beam. By varying the energy of the particles, experts will be able to examine samples from the surface to a depth of tens of microns, conducting a type of nanoscale tomography.
This technology opens up opportunities to detect microscopic defects in semiconductors, metals and other materials, as well as to study their aging under the influence of radiation or stress. Scientists will be able to analyze thin films and modified surfaces, which is important for the development of the electronics, nuclear and aerospace industries. In addition to research purposes, the platform will serve as an educational facility to train engineers in the field of cryogenics and accelerator technology.
JINR experts already have experience working with a similar installation, in operation since 2016, but the new system will have greater precision and expanded functionality. Research groups from Vietnam, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, South Africa and other countries are expressing interest in this development. However, the main goal of JINR still goes beyond the famous periodic table, and the Nuclear Reaction Laboratory is already conducting experiments to synthesize the 119th element, which will open the eighth stage.
To achieve this goal, scientists are testing various projectile-target combinations, among which promising options have been identified, for example, US-243 with chromium-54 or berkelium-249 with titanium-50. During preparations, three new isotopes were discovered: 288Lv, 289Lv and 280Cn. Particular attention is being paid to radiation safety issues, and therefore the “super heavy element factory” is being modernized to allow work with class I hazardous materials.
In parallel, research is being carried out on flerovium, one of the heaviest synthetic elements. Scientists have studied the interaction of its atoms with the gold surface at various temperatures. The results obtained show that relativistic effects significantly change the chemical properties of superheavy elements, which is key to understanding their nature. Direct synthesis of element 119 is expected to begin after 2028.
