Atomic transitions and the first ionization potential of promethium determined by laser spectroscopy

The atomic spectrum of neutral promethium has been studied extensively by laser resonance ionization spectroscopy. We report on more than 1000 atomic transitions in the blue and near infrared spectral ranges, most of them between high excited energy levels. As Rydberg convergences could not be assigned unambiguously in the dense spectrum at high excitation energies, the first ionization potential (IP) was determined via field ionization of weakly bound states within a static electric field. By applying the saddle-point model, a value of IP ( Pm ) = 45 020.8 ( 3 ) cm − 1 [ 5.58188 ( 4 ) eV ] was derived, which confirms previous expectations of 45 027 ( 80 ) and 44 985 ( 140 ) cm − 1 , which …

Laser spectroscopy of the 1001nm ground state transition in dysprosium

We present a direct excitation of the presumably ultranarrow $1001\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{nm}$ ground-state transition in atomic dysprosium. By using resonance ionization spectroscopy with pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers at a hot cavity laser ion source, we were able to measure the isotopic shifts in the $1001\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{nm}$ line between all seven stable isotopes. Furthermore, we determined the upper level energy from the atomic transition frequency of the $^{164}\mathrm{Dy}$ isotope as $9991.004(1)\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and confirm the level energy listed in the NIST database. Since a sufficiently narrow natural linewidth is an essential prerequisit…

Terbium Medical Radioisotope Production: Laser Resonance Ionization Scheme Development

Terbium (Tb) is a promising element for the theranostic approach in nuclear medicine. The new CERN-MEDICIS facility aims for production of its medical radioisotopes to support related R&D projects in biomedicine. The use of laser resonance ionization is essential to provide radioisotopic yields of highest quantity and quality, specifically regarding purity. This paper presents the results of preparation and characterization of a suitable two-step laser resonance ionization process for Tb. By resonance excitation via an auto-ionizing level, the high ionization efficiency of 53% was achieved. To simulate realistic production conditions for Tb radioisotopes, the influence of a surplus of Gd at…

First demonstration of Doppler-free 2-photon in-source laser spectroscopy at the ISOLDE-RILIS

Abstract Collinear Doppler-free 2-photon resonance ionization has been applied inside a hot cavity laser ion source environment at CERN-ISOLDE. An injection-seeded Ti:sapphire ring laser was used to generate light pulses with a Fourier-limited linewidth for high-resolution spectroscopy. Using a molybdenum foil as a reflective surface positioned at the end of the target transfer line, rubidium was successfully ionized inside the hot cavity. The results are presented alongside previously obtained data from measurements performed at the RISIKO mass separator at Mainz University, where collinear and perpendicular ionization geometries were tested inside an RFQ ion guide. This work is a pre-curs…

Intrinsic quantum chaos and spectral fluctuations within the protactinium atom

Excited atomic energy levels in protactinium by resonance ionization spectroscopy

We present high-resolution data of the single-excitation spectrum of protactinium, reaching slightly beyond the first-ionization threshold. Within this work, more than 1500 energy levels are recorded in different excitation energy ranges below $50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}000\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Our experimental results show that the tabulated data in the literature severely underestimate the density of states particularly regarding the highly excited spectral range.

Off-line separation of reactor produced $^{169}$Er for medical applications

The electron affinity of astatine

One of the most important properties influencing the chemical behavior of an element is the electron affinity (EA). Among the remaining elements with unknown EA is astatine, where one of its isotopes, 211At, is remarkably well suited for targeted radionuclide therapy of cancer. With the At− anion being involved in many aspects of current astatine labeling protocols, the knowledge of the electron affinity of this element is of prime importance. Here we report the measured value of the EA of astatine to be 2.41578(7) eV. This result is compared to state-of-the-art relativistic quantum mechanical calculations that incorporate both the Breit and the quantum electrodynamics (QED) corrections and…

Detection of missing low-lying atomic states in actinium

Two lowest-energy odd-parity atomic levels of actinium, 7s^27p 2P^o_1/2, 7s^27p 2P^o_3/2, were observed via two-step resonant laser-ionization spectroscopy and their respective energies were measured to be 7477.36(4) cm^-1 and 12 276.59(2) cm^-1. The lifetimes of these states were determined as 668(11) ns and 255(7) ns, respectively. In addition, these properties were calculated using a hybrid approach that combines configuration interaction and coupled-cluster methods in good agreement. The data are of relevance for understanding the complex atomic spectra of actinides and for developing efficient laser-cooling and ionization schemes for actinium, with possible applications for high-purity…

Detection of the Lowest-Lying Odd-Parity Atomic Levels in Actinium

Two lowest-energy odd-parity atomic levels of actinium, 7s27pP21/2o, 7s27pP23/2o, were observed via two-step resonant laser-ionization spectroscopy and their respective energies were measured to be 7477.36(4) and 12 276.59(2) cm-1. The lifetimes of these states were determined as 668(11) and 255(7) ns, respectively. In addition, we observed the effect of the hyperfine structure on the line for the transition to P23/2o. These properties were calculated using a hybrid approach that combines configuration interaction and coupled-cluster methods, in good agreement with the experiment. The data are of relevance for understanding the complex atomic spectra of actinides and for developing efficien…

Efficient and robust photo-ionization loading of beryllium ions

We demonstrate the efficient generation of Be$^+$ ions with a 60 ns and 150 nJ laser pulse near 235 nm for two-step photo-ionization, proven by subsequent counting the number of ions loaded into a linear Paul trap. The bandwidth and power of the laser pulse are chosen in such a way that a first, resonant step fully saturates the entire velocity distribution of beryllium atoms effusing from a thermal oven. The second excitation step is driven by the same light field causing efficient non-resonant ionization. Our ion-loading scheme is more than 15 times more efficient as compared to former pathways using two-photon continuous wave laser excitation.

Radium ionization scheme development: The first observed autoionizing states and optical pumping effects in the hot cavity environment

© 2018 The Authors This paper reports on resonance ionization scheme development for the production of exotic radium ion beams with the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) of the CERN-ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility. During the study, autoionizing states of atomic radium were observed for the first time. Three ionization schemes were identified, originating from the 7s2 1S0 atomic ground state. The optimal of the identified ionization schemes involves five atomic transitions, four of which are induced by three resonantly tuned lasers. This is the first hot cavity RILIS ionization scheme to employ optical pumping effects. The details of the spectroscopic studies are described …

Laser resonance ionization spectroscopy on lutetium for the MEDICIS project

The MEDICIS-PROMED Innovative Training Network under the Horizon 2020 EU program aims to establish a network of early stage researchers, involving scientific exchange and active cooperation between leading European research institutions, universities, hospitals, and industry. Primary scientific goal is the purpose of providing and testing novel radioisotopes for nuclear medical imaging and radionuclide therapy. Within a closely linked project at CERN, a dedicated electromagnetic mass separator system is presently under installation for production of innovative radiopharmaceutical isotopes at the new CERN-MEDICIS laboratory, directly adjacent to the existing CERN-ISOLDE radioactive ion beam …

Laser photodetachment of radioactive $^{128}$I$^−$

International audience; The first experimental investigation of the electron affinity (EA) of a radioactive isotope has been conducted at the CERN-ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility. The EA of the radioactive iodine isotope (128)I (t (1/2) = 25 min) was determined to be 3.059 052(38) eV. The experiment was conducted using the newly developed Gothenburg ANion Detector for Affinity measurements by Laser PHotodetachment (GANDALPH) apparatus, connected to a CERN-ISOLDE experimental beamline. (128)I was produced in fission induced by 1.4 GeV protons striking a thorium/tantalum foil target and then extracted as singly charged negative ions at a beam energy of 20 keV. Laser photodetachment of th…

MELISSA: Laser ion source setup at CERN-MEDICIS facility. Blueprint

The Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) has become an essential feature of many radioactive ion beam facilities worldwide since it offers an unmatched combination of efficiency and selectivity in the production of ion beams of many different chemical elements. In 2019, the laser ion source setup MELISSA is going to be established at the CERN-MEDICIS facility, based on the experience of the workgroup LARISSA of the University Mainz and CERN ISOLDE RILIS team. The purpose is to enhance the capability of the radioactive ion beam supply for end users by optimizing the yield and the purity of the final product. In this article, the blueprint of the laser ion source, as well as the key …

High-resolution laser resonance ionization spectroscopy of $^{143-147}$Pm

The European physical journal / A 56(2), 69 (2020). doi:10.1140/epja/s10050-020-00061-8

Large shape staggering in neutron-deficient Bi isotopes

The changes in the mean-square charge radius (relative to 209Bi), magnetic dipole, and electric quadrupole moments of 187,188,189,191Bi were measured using the in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy technique at ISOLDE (CERN). A large staggering in radii was found in 187,188,189Big, manifested by a sharp radius increase for the ground state of 188Bi relative to the neighboring 187,189Big. A large isomer shift was also observed for 188Bim. Both effects happen at the same neutron number, N=105, where the shape staggering and a similar isomer shift were observed in the mercury isotopes. Experimental results are reproduced by mean-field calculations where the ground or isomeric states were…

High-resolution laser system for the S3-Low Energy Branch

International audience; In this paper we present the first high-resolution laser spectroscopy results obtained at the GISELE laser laboratory of the GANIL-SPIRAL2 facility, in preparation for the first experiments with the S$^3$-Low Energy Branch. Studies of neutron-deficient radioactive isotopes of erbium and tin represent the first physics cases to be studied at S$^3$. The measured isotope-shift and hyperfine structure data are presented for stable isotopes of these elements. The erbium isotopes were studied using the $4f^{12}6s^2$$^3H_6 \rightarrow 4f^{12}(^3 H)6s6p$$J = 5$ atomic transition (415 nm) and the tin isotopes were studied by the $5s^25p^2 (^3P_0) \rightarrow 5s^25p6s (^3P_1)$…

Recent developments in resonance ionization mass spectrometry for ultra-trace analysis of actinide elements

Abstract Resonance ionization mass spectrometry is an efficient tool to detect minute amounts of long-lived radio-isotopes in environmental samples. Applying resonant excitation and ionization with pulsed laser radiation within a hot cavity atomizer enables the sensitive detection and precise quantification of long-lived actinide isotopes. Due to the inherently element selective ionization process, this method ensures ultimate suppression of contaminations from other elements and molecules. The characterization of in-source resonance ionization of the actinide elements U, Th, Np, and Am using a compact quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) setup are discussed.

Measurement of the laser resonance ionization efficiency for lutetium

Abstract The development of a highly efficient resonance ionization scheme for lutetium is presented. A laser ion source, based on the all-solid-state Titanium:sapphire laser system, was used at the 30 keV RISIKO off-line mass separator to characterize different possible optical excitation schemes in respect to their ionization efficiency. The developed laser resonance ionization scheme can be directly applied to the use at radioactive ion beam facilities, e. g. at the CERN-MEDICIS facility, for large-scale production of medical radioisotopes.