Synthesis of new superheavy nuclei

With heavy ion accelerators and radioactive ion beam facilities readily available, nuclear physics is no longer limited to stable nuclei, but extends rather to some limiting conditions such as high-temperature and high-density limits, spin limit, isospin limit, charge and mass limits．To explore charge and mass limits, the following are at the forefront of nuclear physics research: how to synthesize long-lived superheavy nuclei, whether an “island of stability” exists, how to study the properties of superheavy nuclei．In this paper, mechanisms, definitions and decay modes of superheavy nuclei are reviewed．Synthesis of superheavy nuclei are reviewed, including theory and experimental synthesis of superheavy nuclei, future plans for large-scale facilities．The study of synthesis mechanism of superheavy nuclei is carried out in heavy-ion fusion reactions and multinucleon transfer reactions．Synthesis of new trans-uranium nuclei ^223,224Np and participation of Beijing Normal University personnel are reviewed．Recent progresses in the synthesis of Z=119 and 120 superheavy nuclei are summarized．