Atomic physics gets its own ‘periodic table’ that covers highly charged ions

A new chart for highly charged ions (HCIs) has been proposed, aiming to replicate the conventional periodic table’s accessibility and patterns for the cutting edge of atomic physics. This table could help physicists that are looking to produce the next generation of atomic clocks.

The periodic table, created by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, is one of the most recognisable icons of chemistry, allowing scientists to understand an element’s properties at a glance. A key part of the modern table is the Aufbau, or ‘building up’ principle, showing how atomic orbitals are filled according to their relative energies, creating the s, p, d and f blocks. This gives the table its unique shape, and recognisable categories, such as the transition metals and the lanthanide and actinide series. Today, chemists use the table to predict the outcome of reactions, allowing them to create new structures, materials and medicines.