_version_ 1866915684718477312
author Reiter, Moritz Pascal
Mahajan, Kriti
Narang, Meetika
Zuelch, Carsten
Dickel, Timo
Amanbayev, Daler
Berger, Robert
Bergmann, Julian
Bukowicka, Agnieszka
Fadel, Mariam
Fowler-Davies, Tayemar
Ge, Zhuang
Gloeckner, Simeon
Kripko-Koncz, Gabriella
Kalantar-Nayestanaki, Nasser
Merron, Cameron
Morrissey, David J.
Plass, Wolfgang
Scheidenberger, Christoph
Simonov, Makar
Tortorelli, Nazarena
Yu, Jiajun
Zadvornaya, Alexandra
Zhao, Jianwai
author_facet Reiter, Moritz Pascal
Mahajan, Kriti
Narang, Meetika
Zuelch, Carsten
Dickel, Timo
Amanbayev, Daler
Berger, Robert
Bergmann, Julian
Bukowicka, Agnieszka
Fadel, Mariam
Fowler-Davies, Tayemar
Ge, Zhuang
Gloeckner, Simeon
Kripko-Koncz, Gabriella
Kalantar-Nayestanaki, Nasser
Merron, Cameron
Morrissey, David J.
Plass, Wolfgang
Scheidenberger, Christoph
Simonov, Makar
Tortorelli, Nazarena
Yu, Jiajun
Zadvornaya, Alexandra
Zhao, Jianwai
contents Molecules have proven to be sensitive tools for studying physics beyond the standard model, with heavy and deformed nuclei offering decisive sensitivity to parity- and time-reversal-violating effects. However, almost all elements beyond lead, occupying the 6p~to~5f atomic orbitals, lack stable isotopes, hence molecules containing them are referred to as radioactive molecules. Among those, radium monofluoride has seen particular interest, but to date, research on radioactive molecules has mainly been limited to large-scale nuclear facilities. Here, we present a scheme that allows efficient and fast harvest of radioactive ions (including short-lived Ra), and show ion gas-phase reaction studies of singly and doubly charged Ra, Po, and Pb ions with SF$_6$ gas inside an ion trap. Our results show that the chemical reaction rate of Ra$^+$ is in line with trends of other alkaline earth elements, further support by quantum chemical computations. The reaction Ra$^{2+}$ + SF$_6$ $\rightarrow$ RaF${^+}$ + SF$_5^{+}$ achieves an almost unity conversion efficiency, making it particularly suitable for the application for studies in physics beyond the standard model. The scheme enables future decentralized research avenues with short-lived radioactive molecules for fundamental physics research at laboratories without the need for local nuclear reactors or accelerators.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_16660
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A pathway towards decentralized studies of radioactive post-lead elements and their applications in beyond standard model physics
Reiter, Moritz Pascal
Mahajan, Kriti
Narang, Meetika
Zuelch, Carsten
Dickel, Timo
Amanbayev, Daler
Berger, Robert
Bergmann, Julian
Bukowicka, Agnieszka
Fadel, Mariam
Fowler-Davies, Tayemar
Ge, Zhuang
Gloeckner, Simeon
Kripko-Koncz, Gabriella
Kalantar-Nayestanaki, Nasser
Merron, Cameron
Morrissey, David J.
Plass, Wolfgang
Scheidenberger, Christoph
Simonov, Makar
Tortorelli, Nazarena
Yu, Jiajun
Zadvornaya, Alexandra
Zhao, Jianwai
Nuclear Experiment
Molecules have proven to be sensitive tools for studying physics beyond the standard model, with heavy and deformed nuclei offering decisive sensitivity to parity- and time-reversal-violating effects. However, almost all elements beyond lead, occupying the 6p~to~5f atomic orbitals, lack stable isotopes, hence molecules containing them are referred to as radioactive molecules. Among those, radium monofluoride has seen particular interest, but to date, research on radioactive molecules has mainly been limited to large-scale nuclear facilities. Here, we present a scheme that allows efficient and fast harvest of radioactive ions (including short-lived Ra), and show ion gas-phase reaction studies of singly and doubly charged Ra, Po, and Pb ions with SF$_6$ gas inside an ion trap. Our results show that the chemical reaction rate of Ra$^+$ is in line with trends of other alkaline earth elements, further support by quantum chemical computations. The reaction Ra$^{2+}$ + SF$_6$ $\rightarrow$ RaF${^+}$ + SF$_5^{+}$ achieves an almost unity conversion efficiency, making it particularly suitable for the application for studies in physics beyond the standard model. The scheme enables future decentralized research avenues with short-lived radioactive molecules for fundamental physics research at laboratories without the need for local nuclear reactors or accelerators.
title A pathway towards decentralized studies of radioactive post-lead elements and their applications in beyond standard model physics
topic Nuclear Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.16660