Perspectives of Heavy and Superheavy Nuclei Research

Low values of the fusion cross sections and very short half-lives of nuclei with \(Z>120\) put obstacles in synthesis of new elements. However the fusion reactions of medium mass projectiles (including RIB) with different actinide targets still can be used for the production of the not-yet-synthesized SH nuclei. The gap of unknown SH nuclei, located between the isotopes which were produced earlier in the cold and hot fusion reactions, could be filled in fusion reactions of \(^{48}\)Ca with available lighter isotopes of Pu, Am, and Cm. The neutron-enriched isotopes of SH elements may be produced with the use of a \({}^{48}\)Ca beam if a \(^{250}\)Cm target would be prepared. In this case we get a real chance to reach the island of stability owing to a possible electron capture in \(^{291}\)Fl nucleus formed in the 3n evaporation channel of this reaction with a cross section of about 0.8 pb. Multi-nucleon transfer processes at near barrier collisions of heavy (and very heavy, U-like) ions seem to be the most realistic reaction mechanism allowing one to produce new neutron enriched heavy nuclei located in the unexplored upper part of the nuclear map. The predictions for the production of new neutron rich heavy nuclei in multinucleon transfer reactions will be given. A special attention will be paid to the “inverse” quasi-fission mechanism leading to formation of reaction fragments with masses lighter than projectile and heavier than target masses.