Researchers from the California Institute of Technology; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of York; University of Warsaw; and FRIB, among several others, collaborated to discuss the scientific motivations for studying radioactive molecules and recent advances in nuclear physics. The advances will provide the foundation for studying radioactive molecules at the facilities where the molecule production will occur. The team recently published its review in Reports on Progress in Physics (“Opportunities for fundamental physics research with radioactive molecules”).
Advanced rare isotope facilities, such as FRIB, the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) in Japan, GANIL in France, and the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Germany, provide extraordinary opportunities for the physics community. These facilities can produce exotic elements in amounts sufficient for highly sensitive experiments. The work performed at these facilities, combined with advancements in the creation, study, and control of complex molecules, will enable significant progress in astronomy, precision measurements, and quantum science. For example, studying radioactive molecules provides access to new information from astronomical observations and enhances the ability to detect and explore new types of forces between subatomic particles. Rare-isotope facilities enable these impactful scientific discovery opportunities for the first time. They rely on the growing interdisciplinary ties forming among disciplines such as radiochemistry, laser physics, and theoretical particle physics.
According to the team, “Preliminary results achieved for a handful of radioactive molecules are exciting and show tremendous promise, but realizing the potential of radioactive molecules will require sustained and coordinated efforts between experimentalists, theorists, and facilities to tame these complex and challenging species.”
Researchers say the future is promising for the emerging field of radioactive molecules. Facilities like FRIB will help usher in a new era of nuclear physics with far-reaching impacts.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and Office of Nuclear Physics and the National Science Foundation, as well as several other national and international councils, grants, and foundations, such as Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Michigan State University (MSU) operates the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), with financial support from and furthering the mission of the DOE-SC Office of Nuclear Physics. Hosting the most powerful heavy-ion accelerator, FRIB enables scientists to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes in order to better understand the physics of nuclei, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions, and applications for society, including in medicine, homeland security, and industry.
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of today’s most pressing challenges. For more information, visit energy.gov/science.