Search for heavy-ion radioactivity fromAm241

Using phosphate glass detectors capable of withstanding a background dose of ∼${10}^{14}$ alpha particles per ${\mathrm{cm}}^2$, we have searched for rare decay modes of ${}_{}{}^{241}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Am}$ involving emission of energetic heavy ions. Predictions of the branching ratio for ${}_{}{}^{34}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$ emission relative to alpha decay of ${}_{}{}^{241}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Am}$ range from 4×${10}^{-13\mathrm{}}$ to 4×${10}^{-16\mathrm{}}$. In a six-month exposure to 8 mg of ${}_{}{}^{241}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Am}$, with detectors subtending a solid angle of 2.51 sr, we detected no particles with $12\le Z\le 16$, from which we infer an upper limit ($2\sigma$) of 7.4×${10}^{-16\mathrm{}}$.