Production and identification of a new heavy neutron-rich isotope 186Hf

The new nuclide ¹⁸⁶Hf has been produced via a multinucleon transfer reaction between 60 MeV/nucleon ¹⁸O ions and a natural tungsten target in a net result of an exchange of two target protons for two projectile neutrons, i.e., (¹⁸⁶W-2p+2n). Sources of ¹⁸⁶Hf prepared by radiochemical separation have been studied. The growth and decay of ¹⁸⁶Ta γ rays has been observed, identifying the ¹⁸⁶Ta parent as ¹⁸⁶Hf. The half-life of ¹⁸⁶Hf has been determined to be 2.6+/-1.2 min.