Precision spectroscopy of heavy elements with the future AETHER facility at LBNL*

Superheavy elements edge the limits of matter's existence. Their extreme proton content presents opportunities to delve into fundamental questions across chemistry, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. For instance, we ponder how enhanced relativistic effects impact atomic structure and chemical properties, or how nuclear shell effects evolve under such extreme conditions. Yet, the journey to uncover these answers is fraught with challenges. Typically, only a handful samples of such elements are produced each day or even less.  These conditions drives continuous innovation in instrumentation and development of new methodologies, especially pushing for higher experimental sensitivity.

In my talk, I will present the novel avenues under construction at Berkeley Lab to probe heavy and superheavy elements though modern precision spectroscopy techniques. The new project, Advanced Electrostatic Trap for Heavy Element Research (AETHER), will initially focus on measuring nuclear binding energies with precision mass spectrometry, aiming to address nuclear structure questions at the upper end of the table of nuclides. Looking ahead, we plan to capitalize on the remarkable sensitivity recently demonstrated by the Multi Ion Reflection Apparatus for Collinear Laser Spectroscopy (MIRACLS) methodology to achieve groundbreaking measurements of electron affinities for rare elements — an essential atomic property that remains unknown across approximately one-third of the periodic table.