Sven Löchner
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Research Subjects
Sven Löchner has a total of 35 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Alexander Yakushev
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
4 shared publications - Christoph Emanuel Düllmann
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
4 shared publications - Jadambaa Khuyagbaatar
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
4 shared publications - Katharina Hermainski
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
4 shared publications - Nikolaus Kurz
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
4 shared publications - Pavol Mošat'
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
4 shared publications
Latest Publications
- Open Access
- 7 October 2026
- Published by Springer Nature in Nature
- Vol. 658 (8135) , 337-341
Observation of relativistic bond weakening in seaborgium hexacarbonyl
The seventh row of the periodic table of the elements has been completed with the discovery of the five heaviest elements from flerovium (Fl, Z = 114) through oganesson (Og, Z = 118) 1 . Chemical properties of the superheavy elements (SHE, Z ≥ 104) are unique owing to the strong influence of relativistic effects on their valence electron shells 2 . The stability of the metal–ligand bonding in carbonyl complexes is a property that is predicted to be affected by such effects 3,4 . Here we present an experimental gas chromatography study on the stability of the Sg(CO) 6 complex. The measured formation yields of Sg(CO) 6 and W(CO) 6 enabled determining the first bond dissociation energy (FBDE) of Sg(CO) 6 , which is 4(2) kJ mol −1 lower than that of W(CO) 6 and corresponds to a value of 188(9) kJ mol −1 . Thus, the trend of increasing FBDE values of hexacarbonyls within group 6 of the periodic table is reversed from W to Sg. Our result agrees with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations, which predict a decrease in the FBDE from W(CO) 6 to Sg(CO) 6 owing to the relativistic destabilization of the 6d atomic orbitals (AOs) in Sg (ref. 4 ). Also, the adsorption enthalpy value of Sg(CO) 6 on gold of $${45}_{-6}^{+4}\,{\rm{kJ}}\,{{\rm{mol}}}^{-1}$$ is reported.- 7 October 2026
- Published by Springer Nature in Nature
- Vol. 658 (8135) , 337-341
Open AccessObservation of relativistic bond weakening in seaborgium hexacarbonyl
The seventh row of the periodic table of the elements has been completed with the discovery of the five heaviest elements from flerovium (Fl, Z = 114) through oganesson (Og, Z = 118) 1 . Chemical properties of the superheavy elements (SHE, Z ≥ 104) are unique owing to the strong influence of relativistic effects on their valence electron shells 2 . The stability of the metal–ligand bonding in carbonyl complexes is a property that is predicted to be affected by such effects 3,4 . Here we present an experimental gas chromatography study on the stability of the Sg(CO) 6 complex. The measured formation yields of Sg(CO) 6 and W(CO) 6 enabled determining the first bond dissociation energy (FBDE) of Sg(CO) 6 , which is 4(2) kJ mol −1 lower than that of W(CO) 6 and corresponds to a value of 188(9) kJ mol −1 . Thus, the trend of increasing FBDE values of hexacarbonyls within group 6 of the periodic table is reversed from W to Sg. Our result agrees with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations, which predict a decrease in the FBDE from W(CO) 6 to Sg(CO) 6 owing to the relativistic destabilization of the 6d atomic orbitals (AOs) in Sg (ref. 4 ). Also, the adsorption enthalpy value of Sg(CO) 6 on gold of $${45}_{-6}^{+4}\,{\rm{kJ}}\,{{\rm{mol}}}^{-1}$$ is reported. - Open Access
- 16 June 2026
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review C
- Vol. 114 (1)
New isotope 231 Am
The present work aimed at the synthesis of the hitherto unknown Am 231 and known Am 229 isotopes via the 4 n evaporation channels of the fusion reactions of Ca 48 + Re 187 and Ca 48 + Re 185 , respectively. The new isotope Am 231 , with a half-life of 47 − 19 + 85 s , was identified on the basis of five observed α -decay chains. It emits α particles with an energy of 7.11(2) MeV. An upper limit of 0.66 was estimated for the electron-capture decay branch of Am 231 . No α -decay chain from Am 229 was observed, corresponding to a cross-section level of 0.03 nb for the detection of a single event. The α -decay properties of Am 231 are discussed in the framework of the Geiger-Nuttall empirical relation.
- 16 June 2026
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review C
- Vol. 114 (1)
Open AccessNew isotope 231 Am
The present work aimed at the synthesis of the hitherto unknown Am 231 and known Am 229 isotopes via the 4 n evaporation channels of the fusion reactions of Ca 48 + Re 187 and Ca 48 + Re 185 , respectively. The new isotope Am 231 , with a half-life of 47 − 19 + 85 s , was identified on the basis of five observed α -decay chains. It emits α particles with an energy of 7.11(2) MeV. An upper limit of 0.66 was estimated for the electron-capture decay branch of Am 231 . No α -decay chain from Am 229 was observed, corresponding to a cross-section level of 0.03 nb for the detection of a single event. The α -decay properties of Am 231 are discussed in the framework of the Geiger-Nuttall empirical relation.
- Open Access
- 11 June 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 134 (23) , 232501
Probing the Shell Effects on Fission: The New Superheavy NucleusDecay properties of the neutron-deficient Sg isotopes were studied at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI, Darmstadt by using the Cr 52 + Pb 206 , 208 reactions. We report on the discovery of the new isotope Sg 257 . Its ground state, tentatively assigned to have 9 / 2 − [734] configuration, was observed to decay by both spontaneous fission and α -particle emission with a half-life of 12.6 − 2.3 + 3.7 ms . The alpha decay from this high-spin state was followed by fission of Rf 253 after 11 μ s . In Sg 259 , we observed strong evidence for the occurrence of a K -isomeric state for the first time in superheavy nuclei with 106 protons. The current experimental findings, discussed within the experimental systematics and theory, indicate that hitherto unseen features of the shell effect on the fission process may be found in the neutron-deficient superheavy nuclei. Published by the American Physical Society 2025
- 11 June 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 134 (23) , 232501
Open AccessProbing the Shell Effects on Fission: The New Superheavy NucleusDecay properties of the neutron-deficient Sg isotopes were studied at the gas-filled recoil separator TASCA at GSI, Darmstadt by using the Cr 52 + Pb 206 , 208 reactions. We report on the discovery of the new isotope Sg 257 . Its ground state, tentatively assigned to have 9 / 2 − [734] configuration, was observed to decay by both spontaneous fission and α -particle emission with a half-life of 12.6 − 2.3 + 3.7 ms . The alpha decay from this high-spin state was followed by fission of Rf 253 after 11 μ s . In Sg 259 , we observed strong evidence for the occurrence of a K -isomeric state for the first time in superheavy nuclei with 106 protons. The current experimental findings, discussed within the experimental systematics and theory, indicate that hitherto unseen features of the shell effect on the fission process may be found in the neutron-deficient superheavy nuclei. Published by the American Physical Society 2025
- 14 January 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 134 (2) , 022501
Stepping into the Sea of Instability: The New Sub- Superheavy NucleusWe report the discovery of the new isotope ^{252}Rf. With its extremely short half-life of 60_{-30}^{+90} ns, it expands the range of half-lives of the known superheavy nuclei by about 2 orders of magnitude. This nucleus was synthesized in its high-K isomeric state, for which we measured a half-life of 13_{-3}^{+4} μs. Our results confirm a smooth onset of decreasing ground-state spontaneous fission half-lives in the neutron-deficient Rf isotopes toward the isotopic border of 10^{-14} s, which is the time needed to form an atomic shell. Our findings set a new benchmark for further exploration of phenomena associated with high-K states and inverted fission stability in the heaviest nuclei.
- 14 January 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 134 (2) , 022501
Stepping into the Sea of Instability: The New Sub- Superheavy NucleusWe report the discovery of the new isotope ^{252}Rf. With its extremely short half-life of 60_{-30}^{+90} ns, it expands the range of half-lives of the known superheavy nuclei by about 2 orders of magnitude. This nucleus was synthesized in its high-K isomeric state, for which we measured a half-life of 13_{-3}^{+4} μs. Our results confirm a smooth onset of decreasing ground-state spontaneous fission half-lives in the neutron-deficient Rf isotopes toward the isotopic border of 10^{-14} s, which is the time needed to form an atomic shell. Our findings set a new benchmark for further exploration of phenomena associated with high-K states and inverted fission stability in the heaviest nuclei.