The neutron-rich Mg isotopes: first results from MINIBALL at REX-ISOLDE

After the successful commissioning of the Radioactive beam EXperiment (REX) at ISOLDE (CERN) in 2002, first physics experiments were performed in 2003 which focussed on the neutron-rich Mg isotopes in the vicinity of the “island of inversion”. After introducing the REX facility and the modern γ spectrometer MINIBALL first preliminary results will be presented showing the high potential and physics opportunities offered by this new radioactive beam facility.

Measurement of the transverse Doppler shift using a stored relativistic7Li+ ion beam

We have performed for the first time precision spectroscopy on a coasting fast7Li+ ion beam in a storage ring. The ion beam moving with 6.4% speed of light was first electron cooled and then merged with two counterpropagating laser beams acting on two different hyperfine transitions sharing a common upper level (λ-system). One laser was frequency locked to thea 3 127J2 hfs frequency component established as a secondary frequency standard at 514 nm. The second laser was tuned over theλ-resonance, which was recorded relative to127J2 hfs components. This experiment is sensitive to the time dilation in fast moving frames and will lead to new limits for the verification of special relatively. Th…

On-line commissioning of SHIPTRAP

Abstract The on-line commissioning of the Penning-trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP was successfully completed with a mass measurement of holmium and erbium radionuclides produced at SHIP. A large fraction of contaminant ions created in the stopping cell was identified to originate from the buffer-gas supply system. Using a liquid nitrogen cold trap they were reduced to a tolerable amount and mass measurements of Er 147 , Er 148 , and Ho 147 with relative uncertainties of about 1 × 1 0 − 6 were performed.

Characterization and Tuning of Ultra High Gradient Permanent Magnet Quadrupoles

The application of quadrupole devices with high field gradients and small apertures requires precise control over higher order multipole field components. We present a new scheme for performance control and tuning, which allows the illumination of most of the quadrupole device aperture because of the reduction of higher order field components. Consequently, the size of the aperture can be minimized to match the beam size achieving field gradients of up to $500\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{T}\text{ }{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at good imaging quality. The characterization method based on a Hall probe measurement and a Fourier analysis was confirmed using the high quality electron beam at the M…

Bunching and cooling of radioactive ions with REXTRAP

The properties of radioactive ion beams produced by the present on-line target ion source technology are often not suitable for direct post acceleration. For that purpose pulsed and cooled beams of higher charged ions are required. In the case of REX-ISOLDE, the post accelerator at the CERN-ISOLDE radioactive beam facility, a unique system for beam preparation is used. It consists of a gas-filled cylindrical Penning trap (REXTRAP) for bunching and cooling followed by an electron beam ion source for charge state breeding. The Penning trap has been successfully operated with an efficiency of up to 40% and a total number of up to 107 ions stored. Buffer-gas sideband cooling at the ions’ cyclot…

Towards laser cooling of fast Be+ ions in the storage ring TSR

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a clear understanding of laser-ion interactions under storage ring conditions to prepare the basis of laser cooling of fast-stored ion beams. In addition, the method of laser-induced fluorescence provides precise data for beam properties such as absolute velocity, momentum spread, and lifetime. 9Be+ ions stored in a heavy-ion storage ring are a promising species for laser cooling down to temperatures several orders of magnitude less than those reached for protons by electron cooling at the Novosibirsk ring. Short cooling times and microkelvin temperatures can be envisaged, where the structure of the ion beam is dominated by Coulomb repulsion. The chap…

Radiation detected resonance ionization spectroscopy on208Tl and242fAm

An ultra-sensitive laser spectroscopic method has been developed for the hyperfine spectroscopy of short-lived isotopes far off stability produced by heavy ion induced nuclear reactions at very weak intensity (> 1/s). It is based on resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell with radiation detection of the ionization process (RADRIS). As a first on-line application of RADRIS optical spectroscopy at242fAm fission isomers is in progress at the low target production rate of 10/s. The resonance ionization has been performed in two steps utilizing an excimer dye laser combination with a repetition rate of 300 Hz. The first resonant step proceeds through terms which correspond to wave…

A test of special relativity with stored lithium ions

Laser spectroscopy at the heavy ion storage ring TSR in Heidelberg allows for precision experiments testing the limits of the special theory of relativity. With an opticalΛ-type three-level system of7Li+ the Doppler shift has been measured by saturation spectroscopy as a test of the time dilatation factor γ = (1 −β2)−1/2 at an ion velocity ofυ = 6.4% c. A precision ofΔν/ν < 9 × 10−9 has been obtained, which sets a second-order limit of 1.1 × 10−6 for any deviation from the time dilatation factor. The fourth-order limit of this deviation is set below 2.7 × 10−4 by the present experiment. These limits are given at a 1 σ confidence level.

Concept of a high-resolution online mass separator for the Munich fission fragment accelerator

A fission fragment accelerator combined with the Munich high-flux reactor FRM-II is under design for the delivery of intense beams of mass separated very neutron-rich fission fragments with energies at the Coulomb barrier They can be used to produce very heavy neutron-rich nuclei in fusion reactions. The large neutron excess will result in much longer lifetimes of the produced heavy elements, compared to neutron-deficient ones produced in reactions with stable nuclear beams. Thus fast a-chains can no longer be used to identify the heavy reaction products. A new separator will be used consisting of a velocity filter, an ion guide system (IGISOL) and a Penning trap. The velocity filter separa…

The dynamics of bunched laser-cooled ion beams at relativistic energies

We discuss the axial dynamics of laser-cooled relativistic C3+ ion beams at moderate bunching voltages. Schottky noise spectra measured at a beam energy of 122 MeV/u are compared to simulations of the axial beam dynamics. Ions confined in the bucket are addressed by the narrow-band force of a laser beam counter-propagating to the ion beam, while the laser frequency is detuned relatively to the cooling transition frequency in the rest frame of the bucket. At large detuning comparable to the momentum acceptance of the bucket, the axial dynamics can be well explained by the secular motion of individual non-interacting ions. At small detuning, corresponding to a small axial momentum spread Δpax…

Laser spectroscopy and laser cooling of relativistic stored ion beams

Abstract Experiments with relativistic ions at the test storage ring TSR [P. Baumann et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A268 (1988) 531] demonstrate the potential of the interaction of laser light with energetic stored ions for spectroscopic purposes as well as for manipulation of the ion velocity. Latest results for Li+ ions are reported. At the ion energies available at ESR [B. Franzke, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B24 B25 (1987) 19] it will become possible to prepare and store bare ions up to U92+. Experiments using these exotic beams are discussed and an outlook to the situation at even higher energies is given.

“Safe” Coulomb Excitation ofMg30

We report on the first radioactive beam experiment performed at the recently commissioned REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN in conjunction with the highly efficient γ spectrometer MINIBALL. Using Mg-30 ions accelerated to an energy of 2.25 MeV/u together with a thin Ni-nat target, Coulomb excitation of the first excited 2(+) states of the projectile and target nuclei well below the Coulomb barrier was observed. From the measured relative deexcitation γ-ray yields the B(E2;0(gs)(+)R 2(1)(+)) value of Mg-30 was determined to be 241(31)e(2) fm(4). Our result is lower than values obtained at projectile fragmentation facilities using the intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation method, and confirms the …

Sub-Barrier Coulomb Excitation ofSn110and Its Implications for theSn100Shell Closure

The first excited 2(+) state of the unstable isotope Sn-110 has been studied in safe Coulomb excitation at 2.82 MeV/u using the MINIBALL array at the REX-ISOLDE post accelerator at CERN. This is the first measurement of the reduced transition probability of this state using this method for a neutron deficient Sn isotope. The strength of the approach lies in the excellent peak-to-background ratio that is achieved. The extracted reduced transition probability, B(E2 : 0(+) -> 2(+)) 0.220 +/- 0.022e(2) b(2), strengthens the observation of the evolution of the B(E2) values of neutron deficient Sn isotopes that was observed recently in intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation of Sn-108. It implies …

Coulomb Excitation of Neutron-Rich Zn Isotopes: First Observation of the21+State inZn80

Neutron-rich, radioactive Zn isotopes were investigated at the Radioactive Ion Beam facility REX-ISOLDE (CERN) using low-energy Coulomb excitation. The energy of the 2(1)+ state in 78Zn could be firmly established and for the first time the 2+ --> 0(1)+ transition in 80Zn was observed at 1492(1) keV. B(E2,2(1)+ --> 0(1)+) values were extracted for (74,76,78,80)Zn and compared to large scale shell model calculations. With only two protons outside the Z=28 proton core, 80Zn is the lightest N=50 isotone for which spectroscopic information has been obtained to date. Two sets of advanced shell model calculations reproduce the observed B(E2) systematics. The results for N=50 isotones indicate a g…

LASER SPECTROSCOPY WITH A COOLER RING AT THE ESR (GSI) AND THE TSR (MPI HEIDELBERG)

At the TSR cooler ring at Heidelberg, laser studies were carried out using singly charged lithium and beryllium ions. Laser spectroscopy of relativistic lithium ions (v=0.04c) yielded signals with a narrow linewidth, suitable for an experimental test of special relativity. A dramatic reduction of the beam temperature, as defined by the longitudinal velocity spread, was achieved via laser cooling in both cases. At the ion energies available at ESR it will become possible to prepare and store bare ions up to U92+. Electron cooling was succesfully demonstrated for hydrogen-like Bi82+ ions, where a laser experiment is scheduled to study the ground-state hyperfine splitting.

A radio frequency ring electrode cooler for low-energy ion beams

We are investigating a new concept for ion confinement while buffer-gas-cooling low-energy ion beams. Instead of applying the well-established technique of Radio Frequency Quadrupoles (RFQs) where the ions are transversely confined by a quadratic-pseudo potential we are using a stack of thin ring electrodes supplied by an RF field (RF funnel) which creates a box-shaped potential well. In Monte Carlo simulations we have investigated the transmission behavior and cooling performance of the RF funnel. First experimental investigations with ion currents up to 20 nA revealed a promising transmission characteristic which qualifies the RF funnel as high-current cooler.

Investigation of the Li9+H2→Li8+t reaction at REX-ISOLDE

The one-neutron transfer reaction Li-9 + H-2 -> Li-8 + t has been investigated in an inverse kinematics experiment by bombarding a deuterated polypropylene target with a 2.36 MeV/u Li-9 beam from the post-accelerator REX-ISOLDE at CERN. Excitation energies in Li-8 as well as angular distributions of the tritons were obtained and spectroscopic factors deduced. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Space-Charge Effects with REXTRAP

The beam quality of radioactive ion beams produced by present target ion source technology is often not sufficient for direct post-acceleration. Furthermore, pulsed beams insure a more efficient use of an accelerator. In the case of REX-ISOLDE, the post accelerator at the CERN ISOLDE facility, a gas-filled Penning trap (REXTRAP) has been chosen for accumulation of the radioactive ions and conversion into cooled bunches. Radial centering of the ions is achieved by applying an rf field with a frequency equal to the cyclotron frequency of the desired ion species. The efficiency achieved in the first tests with different isotopes covering nearly the entire mass range was already >20%. Going to …

Test of Special Relativity in a Heavy Ion Storage Ring

The lowest β-vibrational phonon in the second minimum of 236,238U

Vibrational exci tat ions of f i ss ion isomers have d i r ec t l y been observed for the f i r s t time using conversion electron spectroscopy. A new experimental setup has been developed whidh allows the measurement of prompt conversion electrons from electromagnetic t ransi t ions in delayed coincidence with the f i ss ion decay of the isomer. The large amount of low energy a-electrons was suppressed by special geometrical arrangement of the detectors in the magnetic f i e l d of the solenoid.

Status of REX-ISOLDE

REX-ISOLDE [1] is a post-accelerator situated at the ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility placed at CERN, Geneva. It’s main aim is to increase the energy of light (A < 50) radioactive ions from 60 keV to 0.8–2.2MeV/u. REX—ISOLDE uses a new concept of post-acceleration of radioactive ion beams by using charge breeding of the ions in a high charge state ion source and the efficient acceleration of the highly charged ions in a short LINAC using modern ion accelerator structures. In a first step the radioactive ions are captured in a large gas-filled Penning trap. The task is to accumulate, cool and bunch the beam and prepare it for the injection into an electron beam ion source (EBIS). Cooling…

Excited states in neutron deficient even-even thorium isotopes (218?A?222)

The nuclei218, 220, 222Th were investigated by conversion electron andγ-ray spectroscopy after compound nucleus reactions of14N with209Bi and16, 18O with208Pb. The intenseγ-background from fission was suppressed by spectroscopy of conversion electrons andγ-rays in coincidence with the evaporation residues or theirα-decay. Level schemes were determined for218Th up toIπ=10+ and for220Th and222Th up toIπ=15−. The observed structure of218Th may be explained in the spherical shell model with residual interaction by two neutron excitation. ForN≧130 completely different level schemes are observed showing very intense, collective electric dipole transitions (B(E1)−10−2 W.u.) with energies of typica…

Isotope Shift Measurements for Superdeformed Fission Isomeric States

Optical isotope shift measurements have been performed for the ${}^{240,242}{\mathrm{Am}}^{f}$ fission isomers with low target production rates of $10{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ employing resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell. Isotope shift ratios ${\mathrm{IS}}^{240f,241}/{\mathrm{IS}}^{243,241}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}39.2(8)$ and ${\mathrm{IS}}^{242f,241}/{\mathrm{IS}}^{243,241}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}41.4(8)$ have been measured at the 500.02 nm transition. A difference in the nuclear mean charge radii $\ensuremath{\delta}〈{r}^{2}{〉}_{\mathrm{opt}}^{242f,241}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}5.34(2…

Coulomb Excitation ofCu68,70: First Use of Postaccelerated Isomeric Beams

We report on the first low-energy Coulomb excitation measurements with radioactive Ipi=6- beams of odd-odd nuclei 68,70Cu. The beams were produced at ISOLDE, CERN and were post-accelerated by REX-ISOLDE to 2.83 MeV/nucleon. gamma rays were detected with the MINIBALL spectrometer. The 6- beam was used to study the multiplet of states (3-, 4-, 5-, 6-) arising from the pi2p3/2nu1g9/2 configuration. The 4- state of the multiplet was populated via Coulomb excitation and the B(E2;6--->4-) value was determined in both nuclei. The results obtained illustrate the fragile stability of the Z=28 shell and N=40 subshell closures. A comparison with large-scale shell-model calculations using the 56Ni core…

SHIPTRAP—a capture and storage facility for heavy radionuclides at GSI

Abstract SHIPTRAP will be an ion-trap facility for heavy radionuclides delivered from SHIP. Ion traps are a perfect instrument for precision measurements since the ions can be cooled to an extremely small phase space and can be stored for a very long time. In addition one can achieve very high purity by removing contaminant ions. SHIPTRAP will extend the possibilities of measurements in traps to transuranium nuclides and provide cooled and isobarically pure ion bunches.

Accelerated radioactive beams from REX-ISOLDE

In 2001 the linear accelerator of the Radioactive beam EXperiment (REX-ISOLDE) delivered for the first time accelerated radioactive ion beams, at a beam energy of 2 MeV/u. REX-ISOLDE uses the method of charge-state breeding, in order to enhance the charge state of the ions before injection into the LINAC. Radioactive singly-charged ions from the on-line mass separator ISOLDE are first accumulated in a Penning trap, then charge bred to an A/q < 4.5 in an electron beam ion source (EBIS) and finally accelerated in a LINAC from 5 keV/u to energies between 0.8 and 2.2 MeV/u. Dedicated measurements with REXTRAP, the transfer line and the EBIS have been carried out in conjunction with the first co…

The REX-ISOLDE project

REX-ISOLDE is a pilot experiment at ISOLDE/CERN to study the structure of neutron-rich nuclei (N=20, N=28) with post-accelerated radioactive ion beams (1). Therefore radioactive ions with charge state 1+, which are delivered by the online mass separator ISOLDE, are accelerated up to 2.2 MeV/u by means of a new concept. The radioactive ions are first accumulated in a Penning trap, then charge breeded to a charge-to-mass ratio of 1/4.5 in an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) and finally accelerated. The LINAC consists of three components, namely a Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator, which accelerates the ions from 5 to 300 keV/u, an interdigital H-type structure (IH) with a final ener…

Test of special relativity in an ion storage ring

An accurate measurement of the Doppler effect in collinear laser spectroscopy has been performed at the TSR storage ring with electron cooled7Li+ ions atΒ=0.064. This experiment is a sensitive test of theγ=(1−Β2)−1/2 factor(Β=v/c) in the special theory of relativity. The Doppler shifted frequencies of the moving7Li+ ions are compared with calibrated molecular lines at rest. The frequencies at rest for the7Li+ ions are known from independent measurements. The Doppler shifted frequencies in the collinear experiment have been measured with a precision ofδv/v=6×10−9, mainly limited by the signal width of the resonance. A corresponding upper limit of 8×10−7 is deduced for any deviation of the ti…

Isotope shift and hyperfine structure measurements at the242f Am fission isomer

Istope shift and hyperfine structure measurements have been performed for the242fAm fission isomer with target production rates of only a few per second. The method is based on resonance ionization spectroscopy (RIS) in a buffer gas cell with radioactive decay detection of the ionization process (RADRIS). A relative isotope shift ratioX exp=IS242f,241/ IS243,241=41.7±0.9 has been measured for the 500.02 nm transition corresponding to a nuclear parameter Λ242f,241=5.4±0.3 fm2. The analysis of the quadrupole moment based on the deformed Fermi-model of the nuclear charge distribution including second order corrections results inQ 20=38.2 ±1.4( −0.8 +0.4 )model eb. The measurement of the hyperf…

Accelerating Radioactive Ion Beams With REX-ISOLDE

The post accelerator REX‐ISOLDE is installed at the ISOLDE facility at CERN, where a broad variety of radioactive ions can be addressed. Since the end of 2001 beams at the final energy of 2.2 MeV/u are available. REX‐ISOLDE uses a unique system of beam bunching and charge breeding. First a Penning trap accumulates and bunches the ions, which are delivered as a quasi‐continuous beam from the ISOLDE target‐ion‐source, and then an electron beam ion source (EBIS) charge‐breeds them to a mass‐to‐charge ratio below 4.5. This enables a very compact design for the following LINAC, consisting of a 4 rod RFQ, an IH structure and three 7‐gap‐resonators. The later ones allow a variation of the final en…

Status of the SHIPTRAP Project: A Capture and Storage Facility for Heavy Radionuclides from SHIP

The ion trap facility SHIPTRAP is being set up to deliver very clean and cool beams of singly-charged recoil ions produced at the SHIP velocity filter at GSI Darmstadt. SHIPTRAP consists of a gas cell for stopping and thermalizing high-energy recoil ions from SHIP, an rf ion guide for extraction of the ions from the gas cell, a linear rf trap for accumulation and bunching of the ions, and a Penning trap for isobaric purification. The progress in testing the rf ion guide is reported. A transmission of about 93(5)% was achieved.

Laser cooling of stored high-velocity ions by means of the spontaneous force

A longitudinal laser cooling of ion beams at about 5% of the velocity of light has been performed at the Heidelberg Test Storage Ring with various cooling schemes employing the spontaneous force. For a 7.29-MeV $^{9}\mathrm{Be}^{+}$ beam with an initial longitudinal temperature of 2700 K, the main characteristics of laser cooling in a storage ring are discussed. When undamped, the transverse betatron oscillations of the coasting ions limit the longitudinal temperature after laser cooling to typically 1 K. After damping the transverse motion by precooling the ions with an electron cooler, longitudinal temperatures of below 30 mK have been obtained in the subsequent laser cooling. In this cas…

First laser cooling of relativistic ions in a storage ring

The first successful laser cooling of ions at relativistic energies was observed at the Heidelberg TSR storage ring. A $^{7}\mathrm{Li}^{+}$-ion beam of 13.3 MeV was oberlapped with resonant copropagating and counterpropagating laser beams. The metastable ions were cooled from 260 K to a longitudinal temperature of below 3 K and decelerated by several keV. The longitudinal velocity distribution was determined by a fluorescence method. After laser cooling a strongly enhanced narrow peak appeared in the Schottky noise spectrum in addition to the uncooled ion distribution.

First experiments with the heidelberg test storage ring TSR

Abstract The Heidelberg heavy ion test storage ring TSR started operation in May 1988. The lifetimes of the ion beams observed in the first experiments can be explained by interactions with the residual gas. Multiple Coulomb scattering, single Coulomb scattering, electron capture and electron stripping are the relevant processes. Electron cooling of ions as heavy as O 8+ has been observed for the first time. With increasing particle number, the longitudinal Schottky noise spectrum becomes dominated by collective waves for cooled beams, allowing a determination of velocities of sound. After correcting for these coherent distortions fo the Schottky spectrum, the longitudinal beam temperature …

First observation of a resonance ionization signal on242mAm fission isomers

The feasibility of a hyperfine spectroscopy on242mAm fission isomers has been demonstrated at the low target production rate of 10/s. The experimental method employed is based on resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell with detection of the ionization process by means of the fission decay of the isomers. The resonance ionization has been performed in two steps, utilizing an excimer dye laser combination with a repetition rate of 300 Hz. The first resonant step proceeds through theJ=7/2 term at 21440.35 cm−1, which has been excited with the tuncable dye laser beam of a wavelength of 466.28 nm, the second non-resonant step is achieved with the 351 nm radiation of the excimer la…

Low energy reactions with radioactive ions at REX-ISOLDE-the 9Li + 2H case

19 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables.-- PACS nrs.: 25.60.-t; 25.45.-z; 27.20.+n.-- et al. ISOLDE Collaborattion and REX-ISOLDE Collaboration.