Characterization of the SuperHeavy RECoils (SHREC) detector at Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS)

At the 88-inch cyclotron located in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, there have been great efforts to study the physical and chemical properties of heavy and superheavy elements (SHE). Utilizing the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS), rare isotope beams produced in fusion-evaporation reactions are slowed and they can be analyzed using the newly implemented SuperHeavy RECoils (SHREC) detector. This new detector improves efficiency and accuracy because it contains 14 double sided silicon detectors and offers a solid angle coverage of 80%. The SHREC detector is specifically designed for studying the radioactive decay properties of superheavy atoms. SHREC is used for detecting alpha particles, which are particles that emit from unstable nuclei with characteristic energies. The SHREC energy response is calibrated with sealed alpha sources. When an alpha particle implants into the detector, it will lose energy as it travels through the detector dead layer before depositing its energy into the active region. In order to quantify the dead layer, I compared experimental energy loss data to simulated detector response using the Monte Carlo software, SRIM. I will explore updates on the energy characterization of SHREC and discuss my results in the context of recently studied alpha decay chains of element-114.