In the latest study published in the journal Physical Review Letters
Scientists presented the results of an experiment on the separation of heavy chemical elements’ nuclei. They discovered new isotopes of rare earth elements — thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium.
This important discovery
will help expand our understanding of neutron-rich atoms’ properties, as well as processes leading to the formation of new chemical elements, for example, during neutron star collisions.
Isotopes are different forms of the same chemical element
differing in the number of neutrons in the nucleus. Studying isotopes helps physicists understand the origin and distribution of chemical elements in the Universe.
To create new isotopes
scientists used the heavy ion accelerator in the FRIB facility. This process allows for splitting atomic nuclei and discovering new isotopes, which is crucial for further research in the field of nuclear physics.
