Probing the structure and dynamics of the actinides from U through Lr using Regge-pole analysis

TL;DR

This paper uses Regge-pole analysis of electron scattering to explore the structure and dynamics of actinide atoms from uranium to lawrencium, revealing new insights into their resonances, minima, and potential applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of Regge-pole analysis to actinides, uncovering periodicity breaks and molecular-like behavior in their electron scattering properties.

Findings

First R-T minimum in Pu TCSs indicating a periodicity break.

Cf TCSs show R-T minimum as a shape resonance near threshold.

U and Pu TCSs exhibit strong fullerene-like behavior.

Abstract

The structure and dynamics of the actinide atoms from U to Lr is probed through the electron elastic scattering total cross sections (TCSs) calculated using Regge pole analysis. The crucial Regge trajectories probe electron attachment at the fundamental level near threshold leading to stable ground, metastable and excited negative-ion formation as resonances as well as Ramsauer-Townsend (R-T) minima and shape resonances (SRs). A polarization-induced metastable TCS with a deep R-T minimum near threshold first appears in the Pu TCSs, marking the first break in periodicity in the actinides while in the Cf TCSs the R-T minimum manifests as a SR very close to threshold, demonstrating the second break. These results are consistent with observations. Moreover, the highest excited states TCSs of U and Pu exhibit the strongest fullerene molecular behavior among the actinides, implying their multi-functionalization, including nanocatalysis through their doubly-charged anions. Electron affinities are also extracted from the TCSs.