Welcome to ASBEST Research project
A ⁷Be Electron Capture Study for Nuclear and Solid-State Physics .
ASBeST is one of the PRIN 2020 projects funded in the PE2 panel.
ASBeST is an interdisciplinary research project that explores how the electron capture decay of Beryllium-7 (⁷Be) is influenced by its surrounding electronic environment, including ionization states and intense electric fields. Combining expertise in nuclear physics, materials science, and advanced semiconductor technology, ASBeST investigates whether and how the half-life of ⁷Be can be modified under different physical conditions. This research has significant implications for fundamental nuclear decay theory, solid-state interactions, and stellar nucleosynthesis.
The project involves advanced experimental setups, including high performance and characterization of SiC diodes combined with the cutting-edge accelerator technique for precise and unique 7 Be implantation added to the frontier of underground gamma spectroscopy with High Pure Germanium detectors.
About the ASBEST Research Collaboration
The ASBeST project is an international research collaboration coordinated across several institutions, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), National Research Council, Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials (CNRISMN), and the University of Salerno. The project combines complementary expertise in accelerator-based nuclear physics, semiconductor device engineering, and decay spectroscopy.
Central to the collaboration is the use of ⁷Be — a nucleus that decays exclusively by electron capture — making it an ideal candidate to test how environmental and charge-state effects influence nuclear decay rates. The team investigates these effects through two experimental strategies:
(1) implanting ⁷Be into customized silicon carbide (SiC) diodes under high electric fields, and
(2) measuring ⁷Be decay in-flight using advanced recoil separators.
The project also promotes knowledge sharing and interdisciplinary training through events such as the ASBeST Summer School, bringing together researchers, students, and international experts.
By bridging nuclear, atomic, and materials physics, ASBeST seeks to deepen our understanding of nuclear processes in both laboratory and astrophysical environments.
Kick-off meeting, February 2022 – Bologna.