Search for a new element Z=117 among the $^{249}$Bk + $^{48}$Ca reaction products*

Following irradiation of Am and Cm seed isotopes at the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor, the $^{249}$Bk activity (T$_{1/2} $=320 d) has been separated at the ORNL Radiochemical Engineering Development Center [1] to be used as target material for a search for element Z=117 using an intense $^{48} $Ca beam from the U-400 cyclotron at JINR Dubna. The targets will be made from Bk nitrate at the IAR Dmitrovgrad. The search for the A=294 and A=293 isotopes of the new element Z=117 and their decay products, see [2], is scheduled to begin at the Dubna Gas Filled Recoil Separator at JINR Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions in August 2009. Details of the $^{249}$Bk separation and experiment will be reported. [1] C.Alexander, P.Bailey, J.Ezold, M.Ferren, C.Porter, F.Riley et al., HFIR/REDC campaign 74, 2009. [2] Yu. Oganessian, J.Phys.G 34, R164,2007.