DOE OSTI · 3024359
Enhanced sensitivity for electron affinity measurements of rare elements
Abstract
The electron affinity (EA), the energy released when a neutral atom binds an additional electron, is a fundamental property of atoms that is governed by electron-electron correlations and is strongly related to an element’s chemical reactivity. However, conventional techniques for EA determination lack the experimental sensitivity to probe very scarce samples. As a result, the EA for the heaviest elements of the periodic table is entirely uncharted. Here, we present a novel technique to determine EAs through Laser Photodetachment Threshold Spectroscopy, performed in an electrostatic ion beam trap to increase the samples’ exposure to laser photons and, thus, improve the experimental signal sensitivity by three orders of magnitude. Moreover, the additional exposure time allows the use of lower-power continuous-wave narrow-band lasers that reduce uncertainties associated with broadening effects induced by the laser bandwidth. By applying this technique, we measure the EA of 35 Cl to be 3.612720(44) eV, achieving state-of-the-art precision while employing five orders of magnitude fewer anions. The demonstrated sensitivity paves the way for systematic EA measurements across isotopic chains - including isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings - and ultimately for the first direct determination of electron affinities in superheavy elements.
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Maier, F. M. [Univ. of Greifswald (Germany); European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); TRIUMF, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB)] (ORCID:0000000197152147), Leistenschneider, Erich [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000303778523), Au, M. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000283587235), Bērziņš, U. [Univ. of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)] (ORCID:0000000330299296), Vila Gracia, Y. N. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)], Hanstorp, D. [Univ. of Gothenburg (Sweden)] (ORCID:0000000164906897), Kanitz, C. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:000900012322570X), Lagaki, V. [Univ. of Greifswald (Germany); European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)], Lechner, S. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000216955683), Leimbach, D. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Univ. of Gothenburg (Sweden)], Plattner, P. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000204793234), Reponen, M. [Univ. of Jyvaskyla (Finland)] (ORCID:0000000312987431), Rodriguez, L. V. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Max Planck Inst. fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000200932110), Rothe, S. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000157277754), Schweikhard, L. [Univ. of Greifswald (Germany)] (ORCID:0009000282720388), Vilen, M. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000203752502), Warbinek, J. [Univ. of Gothenburg (Sweden); Johannes Gutenberg Univ., Mainz (Germany); GSI-Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000223855584), Malbrunot-Ettenauer, S. [European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); TRIUMF, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Univ. of Toronto, ON (Canada)] (ORCID:0009000433236500). 2025-11-03. Enhanced sensitivity for electron affinity measurements of rare elements. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64581-x
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