Real-time mode detection of heavy ion-induced nuclear reaction products

Design of spectrometers of two nuclear research facilities, the Dubna Gas-filled Recoil Separator and KHIPTI is reviewed. The sources of backgrounds are discussed and techniques used to suppress these backgrounds in one-event detection experiments aimed at the synthesis of heavy elements are presented. The first system was used in 1998 in experiments on Z=114 superheavy element. We consider the possibility of detection of rare time and position correlated recoil-alpha and alpha–alpha sequences in real-time mode as basic techniques to suppress beam and target-like associated backgrounds. Fields of application of such a technique are discussed from the viewpoint of synthesis of heavy elements and by studying their chemical properties.