0000000000065121

AUTHOR

G. Rouleau

High-accuracy mass determination of unstable cesium and barium isotopes

Direct mass measurements of short-lived Cs and Ba isotopes have been performed with the tandem Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP installed at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE at CERN. Typically, a mass resolving power of 600 000 and an accuracy of $\delta \mbox{m} \approx 13$ keV have been obtained. The masses of $^{123,124,126}$Ba and $^{122m}$Cs were measured for the first time. A least-squares adjustment has been performed and the experimental masses are compared with theoretical ones, particularly in the frame of a macroscopic-microscopic model.

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The manipulation of ions using electromagnetic traps

Electromagnetic traps, in addition to providing very clean and gentle confinement for very precise and sensitive observation of charged particles, are very versatile devices for collecting and preparing charged particles from outside sources for observation by devices which are also outside, devices which may in themselves be other electromagnetic traps. This paper introduces the basic principles of using electromagnetic traps for collecting and cooling and presents some preliminary test results from using Paul traps for these purposes. Specifically, in relatively modest Paul traps with 28 mm between end electrodes a collection efficiency of 0.2% was achieved for a 60 keV DC beam of 132Xe i…

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Special Relativity and the Single Antiproton: Fortyfold Improved Comparison ofp¯andpCharge-to-Mass Ratios

The measured ratio of charge-to-mass ratios for the antiproton and proton is $1.0000000015\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0000000011$. This $1$ part in ${10}^{9}$ comparison ( $1$ ppb) is possible because a single $\overline{p}$ or $p$ is now directly observed while trapped in an open access Penning trap. The comparison is the most accurate mass spectrometry of particles with opposite charge, and is the most sensitive test of $\mathrm{CPT}$ invariance for a baryon system. It is 40 times more accurate than our earlier comparison with many trapped antiprotons and protons, and is more than 45 000 times more accurate than earlier comparisons made with other techniques.

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The SMILETRAP (Stockholm-Mainz-Ion-LEvitation-TRAP) facility

Described in this paper is an experimental facility which measures atomic masses by using multiply charged ions from an electron beam ion source. The ions are injected into a Penning trap and the cyclotron frequencies measured. A precision of 2×10−9 has been reached using highly charged carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and neon.

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Effect of Ion Escape Velocity and Conversion Surface Material on H- Production

According to generally accepted models surface production of negative ions depends on ion escape velocity and work function of the surface. We have conducted an experimental study addressing the role of the ion escape velocity on H− production. A converter‐type ion source at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center was employed for the experiment. The ion escape velocity was affected by varying the bias voltage of the converter electrode. It was observed that due to enhanced stripping of H− no direct gain of extracted beam current can be achieved by increasing the converter voltage. The conversion efficiency of H− was observed to vary with converter voltage and follow the existing theories in qual…

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SMILETRAP — Atomic mass measurements with ppb accuracy by using highly charged ions

In the SMILETRAP facility externally produced highly charged ions are captured in a Penning trap and utilized for high precision measurements of atomic masses. Accuracy tests on a ppb level have been performed, using highly charged carbon, oxygen and neon ions. In all cases hydrogen ions served as a reference for the calibration and monitoring of the magnetic field in the trap. Deviations smaller than 3 ppb from the expected results were found in mass measurements of the16O and20Ne atomic masses. The proton atomic mass, determined from the reference measurements on hydrogen ions, is in good agreement with the accepted value [1]. A direct mass measurement on the86Kr-isotope, using trapped86K…

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The Stockholm–Mainz ion trap project

A new ion trap facility is described which is dedicated to studies of highly charged ions in a Penning trap. Such a trap will be connected to sources of highly charged ions, in particular the electron beam ion source CRYSIS, at the Manne Siegbahn Institute for Physics. The use of highly charged ions in a Penning trap increases the cyclotron frequency with a factor proportional to the charge which leads to a higher resolution. Also, the possibility to vary the charge state makes it possible to search for and identify different systematic effects. Thus, a substantial increase in accuracy can be expected. In addition, the combination of high charge state ions and a Penning trap allows new appl…

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Direct determination of the mass of28Si as a contribution to a new definition of the kilogram

The mass of 28Si has been determined to be m(28Si) = 27.976 926 57(30) u by comparing the cyclotron frequencies of the singly charged ions 12C+, 12C+3 and 28Si+ in a Penning trap mass spectrometer. The experimental technique and the setup are described. The obtained accuracy as well as possible improvements are discussed. Our measurements are related to current efforts to base the kilogram on atomic properties by using an almost perfect single crystal of silicon.

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Penning-trap mass measurements of neutron-deficient Rb and Sr isotopes

Abstract The Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP installed at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE 2 at CERN has been used for mass determination of 75–87 Rb and 78–83,87 Sr. Ions are captured in a Penning trap and their cyclotron frequency ω c = ( q m )B in the trapping field B is measured. Ratios of these frequencies lead to the determination of the atomic mass of these isotopes. A resolving power of typically m Δm = 10 6 and an accuracy of δm ≈10 keV is obtained. The mass of 78 Sr is measured for the first time and, in most cases, the mass values of the other isotopes are significantly improved. The experimental masses are compared with theoretical predictions.

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High-Accuracy Mass Determination of Unstable Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Fr and Ra Isotopes with a Penning Trap Mass Spectrometer

The majority of masses of radioactive isotopes has been measured by determination of Q-values in nuclear reactions or in nuclear decay. For a long time the use of direct mass determination has been limited to stable isotopes or isotopes close to stability. This changed in the 70’s with magnetic spectrometers put on-line to isotope separators. The Orsay group (Audi et al., 1986) succeeded in measuring the masses in long isotope chains of alkali elements. They impressively demonstrated the possibilities embedded in direct mass determination of isotopes far from stability. The persisting demand for more precise masses of short-lived isotopes (or exotic particles) has prompted during recent yea…

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Mass Determination of Francium and Radium Isotopes by a Penning Trap Mass Spectrometer

Abstract A tandem Penning trap mass spectrometer is used for mass measurement of radioactive isotopes produced at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN. The mass is determined directly and with high accuracy by measuring the cyclotron frequency of the stored ions. Measurements were performed on 209 210 211 212 221 222Fr and 226 230Ra. A resolving power of 5 × 105 was used and an accuracy of 1·8 × 10−7 has been achieved.

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Accuracy tests of atomic mass measurements in a penning trap using externally produced highly charged ions

The SMILETRAP experimental set-up, a Penning trap mass spectrometer for highly charged ions, is described. Capture and observation of cyclotron frequencies of externally produced highly charged ions is demonstrated. Mass measurements utilizing different charge states and species to verify the consistency of the measurements are presented. A relative uncertainty <3 10−9 is attained in comparisons between highly charged 12C, 14N, 16O, 20Ne and singly charged H, H2 and H3 ions. The current limitations and future developments are discussed.

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Improved comparison of bar P and P charge-to-mass ratios

The measured ratio of charge-to-mass ratios for the antiproton and proton is 1.000 000 001 5 ± 0.000 000 001 1. This 1 part in 109 comparison (1 ppb) is possible because a single or p is now directly observed while trapped in an open access Penning trap. The comparison is the most accurate mass spectrometry of particles with opposite charge and is the most sensitive test of CPT invariance for a baryon system. It is 40 times more accurate than our earlier comparison with many trapped antiprotons and protons, and is more than 45 000 times more accurate than earlier comparisons made with other techniques.

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Precision mass measurements using a penning trap and highly charged ions produced in an electron beam ion source

A method for precision mass measurements in a Penning trap using highly charged ions produced in an electron beam ion source (CRYSIS) has been developed. The cyclotron frequencies for O8+, 7+, 6+, 5+ and Ar18+, 17+, 16+, 15+, 14+, 13+ ions have been determined by the excitation of the sum frequency v+ + v−. In addition to CRYSIS ions, H+, H2+ and He+ ions were produced by electron bombardment of the H2 rest gas or helium gas introduced through an UHV leak valve into an auxiliary ion trap (or a pre-trap). A technique for fast (seconds) interchanging of the ion species in the precision trap has been implemented to reduce the long term magnetic field drift.

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The SMILETRAP facility

The SMILETRAP experimental set-up, a Penning trap mass spectrometer for highly charged ions, is described. Capture and observation of cyclotron frequencies of externally produced highly charged ions, rapid interchange of investigated and reference ions and measurements of the rotational kinetic energies are demonstrated. Mass measurements utilizing different charge states and species to verify the consistency of the measurements are presented. A relative uncertainty of about 10−9 is attained in comparisons between highly charged carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, neon and the singly charged hydrogen molecule.

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Resolution of nuclear ground and isomeric states by a Penning trap mass spectrometer.

Ground and isomeric states of a nucleus have been resolved for the first time by mass spectrometry. Measurements on $^{78}\mathrm{Rb}^{\mathit{m},}$g and $^{84}\mathrm{Rb}^{\mathit{m},}$g were performed using a tandem Penning trap mass spectrometer on-line with the isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN. The effects of ion-ion interaction were investigated for two ion species differing in mass and stored simultaneously in the trap.

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Collection, cooling and delivery of ISOL beams

Abstract The collection of an ISOL beam in a Penning trap using implantation on a surface that is subsequently manipulated so as to become part of an end electrode of a Penning trap and reionization of the implanted material by heat has already been very productive for high-precision nuclear-mass measurements, even though it is limited to elements that are surface ionizable and the collection efficiencies are never better than about 0.1%. More recently, in 1990 a Paul trap system for electric collection of ions was installed at the ISOLDE-3 facility and collection was demonstrated for a 60 kV beam of 132 Xe ions. The purpose of this test setup was to determine the relationship between phase…

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