REVIEW OF THE SISAK SYSTEM IN TRANSACTINIDE RESEARCH - RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE-PROSPECTS

The performance of the SISAK(1) liquid-liquid extraction system applie d in transactinide experiments has been improved with respect to the e quipment itself and the way it is operated. The improvements were chec ked in on-line experiments, under conditions similar to those during t ransactinide experiments. As a result, the yield of the separation sys tem was increased by a factor >5. Furthermore, a cleaner organic scint illation phase was obtained due to a better phase separation. This red uced the beta-background, which disturbs the alpha-measurements. The s ensitivity of the SISAK apparatus, including the gasjet and the detect ion system has been improved by more than one order of magnitude. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.