Determination of90Sr in environmental samples with resonance ionization spectroscopy in collinear geometry

A new, fast technique for trace analysis of the radioactive isotopes89Sr and90Sr in environmental samples has been developed. Conventional mass separation is combined with resonance ionization spectroscopy in collinear geometry, which provides high selectivity and sensitivity. In addition, a chemical separation procedure for sample preparation has been developed. The described technique was used to determine the90Sr content in ≈ 870 m3 air samples collected near Munich during and shortly after the Chernobyl reactor accident in April 1986. The content of90Sr was measured to be 1.4 mBq per m3, corresponding to 1.6 × 109 atoms of90Sr per sample. This value is in good agreement with the results…

A highly selective laser ion source for bunched, low emittance beam release

A novel type of resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS) is under development, which combines the advantages of laser ionization with those of a source-implemented ion trap. This laser ion source trap (LIST) system, based on a gas-filled linear radio-frequency quadrupole ion trap, decouples the evaporation and ionization process by introduction of a primary surface ion repeller. Apart from significantly enhancing the selectivity in radioactive ion beam production, optimum control on the temporal pulse structure and the emittance of the generated laser ion bunch is obtained. A variety of operational modes from quasi-dc to microseconds-bunched ion beams with variable repetition rate can …

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.

On-line laser spectroscopy of short-lived mercury isotopes

Precision experiments with time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry

Abstract A large area on the mass surface of neutron-deficient nuclides (36≤Z≤85) was measured with time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry at the FRS-ESR facilities. The masses of 114 nuclides were obtained for the first time from which 43 were determined via known decay energies. The improved mass accuracy of 30 keV allowed to study the isospin dependence of nuclear pairing, to precisely locate the one-proton dripline for odd-Z isotopes from Tb to Pa and to make crucial tests of the predictive powers of modern mass models.

Isotope shift and hyperfine structure of stable platinum isotopes

Isotope shift (IS) and hyperfine structure (hfs) measurements have been performed on seven lines of the platinum I spectrum with interference as well as laser fluorescence spectroscopy. In the latter case a frequency-doubled single-mode cw dye laser was applied. The IS of190Pt with a natural abundance of only 0.01% was determined to beδν 190, 192=−38.65(8) mK in theλ306.47 nm transition. The IS parameters and the effective hfs integrals in the configuration (5d+6s)10 were determined in intermediate coupling by a least squares fit of the IS and hfs data with eigenvectors obtained from the platinum fine structure (fs). The results are compared with theoretical values and yield improvedδ〈r 2〉 …

Techniques for the measurement ofg-factors of nuclear states, their merits, limitations, sensitivity, etc.

ISOLTRAP mass measurements of exotic nuclides at

The ISOLTRAP experiment at the ISOLDE facility at CERN is a Penning trap mass spectrometer for on-line mass measurements on short-lived radionuclides. It allows the determination of atomic masses of exotic nuclides with a relative uncertainty of only 10−8. The results provide important information for, e.g., weak interaction studies and nuclear models. Recent ISOLTRAP investigations and applications of high-precision mass measurements are discussed.

Laser resonant ionization of plutonium

Resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) has been tested for the isotope-selective determination of trace amounts of plutonium. An atomic beam is formed by evaporating plutonium atoms from a rhenium-filament heated to 1800 °C. The radiation of a pulsed dye laser excites the atoms in a two-photon process (λ=595.2 nm) followed by photoionization of the excited atoms. Mass selectivity is obtained by use of a time-of-flight spectrometer. A resonant signal of239Pu was measured with 1013 atoms deposited on the filament.

Mass measurements on neutron-deficient Sr and neutron-rich Sn isotopes with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer

Abstract The atomic masses of 76,77,80,81,86,88 Sr and 124,129,130,131,132 Sn were measured by means of the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN. 76 Sr is now the heaviest N = Z nucleus for which the mass is measured to a precision better than 35 keV. For the tin isotopes in the close vicinity of the doubly magic nucleus 132 Sn, mass uncertainties below 20 keV were achieved. An atomic mass evaluation was carried out taking other experimental mass values into account by performing a least-squares adjustment. Some discrepancies between older experimental values and the ones reported here emerged and were resolved. The results of the new adjustment and their impact will be pr…

A linear radiofrequency quadrupole ion trap for the cooling and bunching of radioactive ion beams

A linear radiofrequency quadrupole ion guide and beam buncher has been installed at the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometry experiment at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. The apparatus is being used as a beam cooling, accumulation, and bunching system. It operates with a buffer gas that cools the injected ions and converts the quasicontinuous 60- keV beam from the ISOLDE facility to 2.5-keV beam pulses with improved normalized transverse emittance. Recent measurements suggest a capture efficiency of the ion guide of up to 40% and a cooling and bunching efficiency of at least 12% which is expected to still be increased. The improved ISOLTRAP setup has so far been used very successfully in three on-line e…

Mass measurement of cooled neutron-deficient bismuth projectile fragments with time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry at the FRS-ESR facility

Masses of 582 neutron-deficient nuclides ($30\leq{Z}\leq{85}$) were measured with time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry at the FRS-ESR facility at GSI, 117 were used for calibration. The masses of 71 nuclides were obtained for the first time. A typical mass accuracy of 30 $\mu$u was achieved. These data have entered the latest atomic mass evaluation. The mass determination of about 140 additional nuclides was possible via known energies ($Q$-values) of $\alpha-$, $\beta-$, or proton decays. The obtained results are compared with the results of other measurements.

Fragmentation of gold clusters stored in a penning trap

The collision-induced dissociation of positively charged gold clusters (2 to 23 atoms) stored in a Penning trap has been studied. After collisions with rare gases, excited clusters predominantly decay by emission of one or two atoms. The loss of two atoms occurs most likely through the emission of a dimer rather than a sequential evaporation. The minimum kinetic energies of clusters required to induce dissociation exhibit a pronounced odd-even effect. Clusters with an even number of delocalized electrons are more stable than the odd ones.

Quadrupole excitation of stored ion motion at the true cyclotron frequency

Abstract The motion of an ion in a Penning trap has been investigated in the presence of an azimuthal quadrupole radio frequency field and a damping force provided by buffer gas collisions. Analytical expressions are derived which describe the line shape of the cyclotron resonance as well as the properties of the mass-selective cooling mechanism for heavy ions. Excellent agreement is observed between theoretical results and experimental data obtained with the tandem Penning trap mass spectromer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE (CERN).

Trace Analysis of Plutonium and Technetium by Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry Using an Atomic Beam and a Laser Ion Source

A method for low level detection of plutonium and technetium is described with a detection limit of less than 107 atoms. Plutonium is a very toxic element due to its radioactive decay as well as its chemical behaviour. It was released to the environment in large amounts during the fifties and sixties of his century, principally by nuclear-weapon tests and some accidents. As a result about 0.4 − 4 mBq per gram 239Pu(T1/2 = 24390 y), corresponding to 4 × 108 − 4 × 109 atoms, can be found in the Northern Hemisphere in soil samples.

Ramsey technique applied in a Penning trap mass spectrometer

Abstract The Ramsey method has been applied in an experiment aiming for accurate mass determination of unstable isotopes. The ion motion in a Penning trap has been excited with time-separated oscillatory fields and Ramsey fringes were observed in the case of dipole and quadrupole excitation. The experimental resonances are in good agreement with theory. Further applications of the technique are discussed.

A Penning Trap for Studying Cluster Ions

We propose to use a Penning trap for spectroscopy of stored cluster ions. A similar device has been built for the purpose of mass measurements of short-lived nuclei produced at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN. A resolving power of 500,000 in a mass measurement of39K and an accuracy of 2 × 10−7 for the85Rb/39K mass ratio were obtained. An efficiency for in-flight capture as high as 70% was achieved. The method provides very high sensitivity since typically only 10 to 100 ions are stored in the trap. We intend to perform laser spectroscopy on trapped Na clusters as a first application of the trap technique.

Trace detection of plutonium by three-step photoionization with a laser system pumped by a copper vapor laser

Laser photoionization has been used to detect trace amounts of plutonium. A high sensitivity and selectivity has been achieved by applying three-step excitation and ionization of the plutonium atoms with high pulse-repetition rates and additional mass determination by time-of-flight measurements. A laser system was developed which consists of a copper vapor laser pumping three dye lasers simultaneously. Samples containing between 1010 and 1012 atoms of239Pu on Re filaments were measured yielding strong resonance signals with maximum ion count rates of several kHz at a vanishingly low background. A detection efficiency of 10−7 was determined allowing the detection of about 108 plutonium atom…

Isoltrap pins down masses of exotic nuclides

The mass of radionuclides contribute to a variety of fundamental studies including tests of the weak interaction and the Standard Model. The limits of mass measurements of exotic nuclides have been extended considerably by the Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at the ISOLDE facility at CERN. Recent ISOLTRAP measurements are summarized and current technical improvements are outlined.

Fast, low-level detection of strontium-90 and strontium-89 in environmental samples by collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy

Environmental assessment in the wake of a nuclear accident requires the rapid determination of the radiotoxic isotopes 89Sr and 90Sr. Useful measurements must be able to detect 108 atoms in the presence of about 1018 atoms of the stable, naturally occurring isotopes. This paper describes a new approach to this problem using resonance ionization spectroscopy in collinear geometry, combined with classical mass separation. After collection and chemical separation, the strontium from a sample is surface-ionized and the ions are accelerated to an energy of about 30 keV. Initially, a magnetic mass separator provides an isotopic selectivity of about 106. The ions are then neutralized by charge exc…

Status and perspectives of atomic physics research at GSI

A short overview on the results of atomic physics research at the storage ring ESR is given followed by a presentation of the envisioned atomic physics program at the planned new GSI facility. The proposed new GSI facility will provide highest intensities of relativistic beams of both stable and unstable heavy nuclei - up to a Lorentz factor of 24. At those relativistic velocities, the energies of optical transitions, such as for lasers.. are boosted into the X-ray region and the high-charge state ions generate electric and magnetic fields of exceptional strength. Together with high beam intensities a range of important experiments can be anticipated, for example electronic transitions in r…

A high-temperature laser ion source for trace analysis and other applications

We report here on the development of a high-temperature laser ion source useful for trace analysis and other applications. It consists of a high temperature ionization chamber, three tunable dye lasers pumped by copper vapor lasers for stepwise resonant ionization and a Mattauch-Herzog mass spectrometer for the analysis of photo-ions. The principle of the laser ion source and its theoretical efficiency are discussed, where the efficiency of a laser ion source is the ratio of photo-ions extracted out to the number of atoms introduced into the cavity. Experimentally, an efficiency of 2×10−3 has been achieved for technetium. The scheme of gated detection is described which is used for suppress…

Resonance ionization mass spectroscopy for trace analysis of neptunium

Resonance ionization mass spectroscopic (RIMS) measurements for trace analysis and spectroscopy of 237Np, the ecologically most important isotope of neptunium, are described. The chemical procedure for the separation of neptunium from aqueous samples as well as the preparation of filaments for RIMS are outlined. Several two- and three-step excitation schemes have been investigated in order to find suitable conditions for the sensitive detection of 237Np. Using a three-step, three-color excitation and ionization scheme an overall detection efficiency of 3×10−8 was obtained, resulting in a detection limit of 4×108 atoms (160 fg) of 237Np. The hyperfine structure splittings of the levels under…

A novel scheme for a highly selective laser ion source

A new type of resonance ionization laser ion source, which shall combine the advantages of a laser ion source with those of an ion trap, is proposed. The primary purpose of such a laser ion source trap, which is based on a gas-filled linear radio-frequency quadrupole ion trap system, is the decoupling of evaporation and ionization processes. Furthermore optimum temporal control on the generated ion bunch is obtained. Both effects will lead to a significantly increased isobaric selectivity and ion beams of low emittance. A large variety of operational modes, ranging from quasi-dc to microseconds-bunched radioactive ion beams with variable pulse width and repetition rate, can be chosen freely…

Photo fragmentation of metal clusters stored in a penning trap

Photo fragmentation studies of stored mass selected metal cluster ions of a large size range are reported. The experimental method and the data evaluation are described in detail. Gold cluster ions were produced by laser vaporization and stored in a Penning trap. After size selection they were electronically excited by irradiation with a pulsed laser beam. Relaxation by evaporation of neutral atoms and dimers was observed as a function of photon energy. From these data upper and lower limits for dissociation energies are determined for Aun + (n=3 to 23).

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.

DELAYED ELECTRON EMISSION OF NEGATIVELY CHARGED TUNGSTEN CLUSTERS

The delayed electron emission of negatively charged tungsten clusters has been investigated on a time scale from 1 to 500 ms. After being stored in a Penning trap clusters ions [Formula: see text] were heated via multiphoton absorption (hν=1.81 eV). In contrast to alkali and coinage metals no photofragmentation could be detected. Instead, for all cluster sizes studied so far only a decrease in the initial ion intensity as a function of time after excitation was observed. This decrease is not caused by ion loss from the trap, but has to be attributed to neutralization via delayed electron emission. The presented results strongly suggest that this process can be viewed as “thermionic emissio…

Observation of a dramatic hindrance of the nuclear decay of isomeric states for fully ionized atoms

Abstract The half-lives of isomeric states of fully ionized 144Tb, 149Dy and 151Er have been measured. These nuclides were produced via fragmentation of about 900 MeV/u 209Bi projectiles, separated in flight with the fragment separator (FRS) and stored in the cooler ring (ESR). The decay times of the cooled fragments have been measured with time-resolved Schottky spectrometry. We observed for the first time drastic increases of the half-lives of bare isomers by factors of up to 30 compared to their neutral counterparts. This is due to the exclusion of the strong internal conversion and electron-capture channels in the radioactive decay of these bare nuclei. The experimental results are in g…

Erste Messung der Ionisationsenergie von Americium und Curium

A cylindrical Penning trap for capture, mass selective cooling, and bunching of radioactive ion beams

Abstract A Penning trap ion accumulator, cooler, and buncher for low-energy ion beams has been developed for the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer at ISOLDE/CERN. A cylindrical electrode configuration is used for the creation of a nested trapping potential. This is required for efficient accumulation of externally produced ions and for high-mass selectivity by buffer gas cooling. The design goal of a mass resolving power of about 1 × 10 5 has been achieved. Isobar separation has been demonstrated for radioactive rare-earth ion beams delivered by the ISOLDE on-line mass separator.

Determination of the isotope shift in theD 1 line between197Au and195Au

The isotope shift between197Au (stable) and195Au (T 1/2=183 d) was determined by resonance fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy in the 6s2 S 1/2 -6p 2 P 1/2, λ =267.6nm line. The result is δν195, 197=-2.9(2) GHz corresponding to a change of the mean-square charge radius by δ〈r 2〉195, 197=0.063(9) fm2. The sample was confined to a resonance cell heated to temperatures of up to 1500°C.

The magnetic moment anomaly of the electron bound in hydrogen-like oxygen16O7 

The measurement of the g-factor of the electron bound in a hydrogen-like ion is a high-accuracy test of the theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) in strong fields. Here we report on the measurement of the g-factor of the bound electron in hydrogen-like oxygen (16O7+). In our experiment a single highly charged ion is stored in a Penning trap. The electronic spin state of the ion is monitored via the continuous Stern?Gerlach effect in a quantum non-demolition measurement. Quantum jumps between the two spin states (spin up and spin down) are induced by a microwave field at the spin precession frequency of the bound electron. The g-factor of the bound electron is obtained by varying the micro…

Phase-sensitive measurement of trapped particle motions

We have developed and applied a novel method for the precise determination of small frequency differences of particle motions inside a Penning trap. In the present case, the frequency differences on the order of 100 mHz at motional frequencies on the order of 1 MHz are used to determine the spin state of an electron bound in a hydrogen-like ion. This novel technique measures the integrated phase difference of the particles' motions relative to an excitation with a well-defined phase. Thereby, the Fourier-limit for frequency measurements based on Fourier-analyses of detection signals can be overcome.

Mass measurements beyond the major r-process waiting point $^{80}$Zn

High-precision mass measurements on neutron-rich zinc isotopes 71m,72-81Zn have been performed with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. For the first time the mass of 81Zn has been experimentally determined. This makes 80Zn the first of the few major waiting points along the path of the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process where neutron separation energy and neutron capture Q-value are determined experimentally. As a consequence, the astrophysical conditions required for this waiting point and its associated abundance signatures to occur in r-process models can now be mapped precisely. The measurements also confirm the robustness of the N = 50 shell closure for Z = 30 farthe…

Low-temperature X-ray detectors for precise Lamb shift measurements on hydrogen-like heavy ions

The precise determination of the Lamb shift in heavy hydrogen-like ions provides a sensitive test of quantum electrodynamics in very strong Coulomb"elds, not accessible otherwise. For the investigation of the Lyman-a transitions in 208Pb81‘ or 238U91‘ with su$cient accuracy a high resolving calorimetric detector for hard X-rays (E)100 keV) is presently developed. The detector modules consist of arrays of silicon thermistors and of X-ray absorbers made of high Z material to optimize the absorption e$ciency. The detectors are housed in a specially designed 3He/4He dilution refrigerator with a side arm which "ts to the geometry of the internal target of the storage ring ESR at GSI Darmstadt. T…

Trace Analysis of the Radionuclides90Sr and89Sr in Environmental Samples I: Laser Mass Spectrometry

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…

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…

Determination of nuclear spins of short-lived Rb and Cs isotopes by β radiation detected optical pumping

Isotope shifts of neutron-deficient gold isotopes with 193?A?190

The isotope shift between197Au (stable) and the radioactive Au isotopes190Au,191Au,192Au and193Au were determined by resonance fluorescence spectroscopy in the 6s2S1/2–6p2P1/2.λ=267.6nm line. The unstable Au isotopes were produced at the ISOLDE mass separator at CERN. The nuclei were investigated semi on-line in a resonance vessel, heated to 1,400°C. The results areδν190,197=−11.12(39) GHz,δν191,197=−9.67(12) GHz,δν192,197=−8.32(15) GHz,δν193,197=−6.29(11) GHz, corresponding to a change of the mean-square charge radius byδ〈r2〉190,197 =0.261(12) fm2,δ〈r2〉191,197=0.227(5) fm2,δ〈r2〉192,197=0.195(5) fm2,δ〈r2〉193,197 =0.148(4) fm2.

Double Penning trap technique for precise g factor determinations in highly charged ions

We present a detailed description of an experiment to determine the magnetic moment of an electron bound in hydrogen-like carbon. This forms a high-accuracy test of bound-state quantum electrodynamics. Special emphasis is given to the discussion of systematic uncertainties which limit our present accuracy. The described experimental setup may also be used for the determination of g factors in other highly charged ions.

Resonant enhancement of neutrinoless double-electron capture in 152Gd.

In the search for the nuclide with the largest probability for neutrinoless double-electron capture, we have determined the ${Q}_{ϵϵ}$ value between the ground states of $^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ and $^{152}\mathrm{Sm}$ by Penning-trap mass-ratio measurements. The new ${Q}_{ϵϵ}$ value of 55.70(18) keV results in a half-life of ${10}^{26}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{yr}$ for a 1 eV neutrino mass. With this smallest half-life among known $0\ensuremath{\nu}ϵϵ$ transitions, $^{152}\mathrm{Gd}$ is a promising candidate for the search for neutrinoless double-electron capture.

Study of short-lived tin isotopes with a laser ion source

A chemically selective laser ion source based on resonance ionization of atoms in a hot cavity has been applied for the study of short-lived silver isotopes at CERN/ ISOLDE. Silver atoms were ionized by two resonant excitations and final laser ionization into the continuum. Decay properties of the neutron-rich isotopes121–127Ag were studied with a neutron long-counter and aβ-detector.

Quantitative Detection of Strontium-90 and Strontium-89 in Environmental Samples by Laser Mass Spectrometry

Parallel to the strongly growing public concern about environmental problems, new ideas for trace detection and analysis of toxic and radioactive material are being developed. One of these new and outstanding experimental techniques is the application of analytical laser spectroscopy. Most interesting in this context is the method of resonance ionization spectroscopy (RIS), as proposed1 already in 1972 combining very high sensitivity in the detection of the element or isotope under investigation with high selectivity in the suppression of contaminants2–4.

ChemInform Abstract: Au+ n-Induced Decomposition of N2O.

First isochronous mass spectrometry at the experimental storage ring ESR

Short-lived exotic nuclei can be produced and separated with the high-energy secondary nuclear beam facility FRS at GSI. These nuclides can be injected and stored in the storage ring ESR. The lower lifetime limit of the presently existing methods for mass measurements on these nuclides at the ESR is about a few seconds. We have developed and investigated an isochronous operational mode of the ESR, that makes mass measurements of nuclides with lifetimes down to a few ls feasible. It has been commissioned in experiments using long-lived nuclides with known masses. A mass resolving power of about 150 000 has been achieved in a "rst pilot experiment. A suitable detector system has been implemen…

Highly-charged ions in a penning trap: mass measurements, etc.

The use of a Penning trap will start a new generation of precision experiments on highly charged ions. The long storage time of the ions in combination with a controlled confinement in a very small volume will enable accuracies in mass determination better than δm/m = 10-8.

Laser desorption/ionization cluster studies for calibration in mass spectrometry

Precise mass calibration is mandatory in many fields of mass spectrometry. We have performed laser desorption/ionization cluster studies with a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer on gold and fullerene targets to produce atomic clusters. These investigations demonstrate that clusters are ideally suited for this purpose. Pulsed N 2 -laser and Nd:YAG-laser ablation was used to produce positively as well as negatively charged clusters. Earlier observations of dianionic metal clusters are confirmed. First results from the tandem Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP using carbon clusters as mass references show how carbon clusters can be applied to precision mass spectrometry by providing absolute ma…

An evaluation procedure for scanning interferometer based wavemeters

Abstract A common approach to wavelength measurement is the travelling interferometer (wavemeter). We present an evaluation procedure that allows to achieve high precision with a compact device. The zero crossings of the interference signal corresponding to the reference laser is used to sample the signal of the probe laser. Electronic noise and fluctuations of the laser frequency cancel due to the large number of sample points. The evaluation procedure has been applied to a wavemeter based on a continuously moving Mach–Zehnder interferometer. A travelling path of 10 cm was sufficient to yield 3σ-accuracy of Δ λ / λ =3.2×10 −9 , demonstrated by comparison with cesium saturation spectroscopy.

Release Studies of Atomic Technetium

Application of a laser ion source (LIS) is a promising new technique for trace analysis with high efficiency and selectivity. One of the problems which can limit its efficiency attained in practice is the adsorption of sample atoms on the hot walls of the LIS cavity. We have studied the release of atomic technetium from different wall materials at temperatures up to 2500 K. For these investigations resonance ionization of technetium atoms applying a copper vapour pumped dye laser system and γ-spectrometry of 6-h 99mTc have been used. Theoretical calculations of the heat of desorption for technetium on different wall materials are presented and compared with experimental data. Though the res…

Resonance lonization mass spectroscopy with a pulsed thermal atomic beam

Resonance ionization mass spectroscopy (RIMS) and pulsed-laser induced desorption (PLID) have been combined for ultrasensitive detection and spectroscopy of very small samples of refractive elements. The method has been tested and applied to laser spectroscopy of 5×109 atoms (1.5 pg) of195Au (T1/2= 183d) implanted at the ISOLDE online mass separator with 60 keV into graphite. A pulsed thermal atomic beam was formed by laser desorption with a 10 ns Nd∶Yag laser pulse. Subsequently the atoms were photoionized in a three-colour, three-step resonant excitation to an autoionizing state. The selectivity was enhanced by a time-of-flight measurement of the photo ions. In resonance, one ion was dete…

High-power pulsed dye laser with Fourier-limited bandwidth

A high-peak-power, narrow-linewidth light source with a homogeneous beam profile has been constructed by modifications to a commercially available pulsed-dye-laser system. Output pulses of up to 10 mJ were generated with linewidths of about 50 MHz for 12-nsec pulses. The pulse-to-pulse frequency stability was better than the linewidth, and the center frequency could be scanned over a frequency range of 142.5 GHz at a wavelength of 600 nm. The performance of the system was demonstrated by observing the 6s2 1S0–6s7s1S0 transition in atomic mercury at 2λ = 312.8 nm and the 6s2S1/2–8s2S1/2 transition in atomic gold at 2λ = 308.9 nm using up to 1 mJ of frequency-doubled output for two-photon non…

Breakdown of the Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation atA=33,T=3/2

Mass measurements on ${}^{33,34,42,43}\mathrm{Ar}$ were performed using the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP and a newly constructed linear Paul trap. This arrangement allowed us, for the first time, to extend Penning trap mass measurements to nuclides with half-lives below one second ( ${}^{33}\mathrm{Ar}$: ${T}_{1/2}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}174\mathrm{ms}$). A mass accuracy of about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ $(\ensuremath{\delta}m\ensuremath{\approx}4\mathrm{keV})$ was achieved for all investigated nuclides. The isobaric multiplet mass equation was checked for the $A\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}33$, $T\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom…

Production and trapping of carbon clusters for absolute mass measurements at ISOLTRAP

Singly-charged carbon clusters C/sub n//sup +/ (n >or= 1) have been produced by laser-induced desorption and fragmentation of C/sub 60/ fullerenes and have been injected into and stored in the Penning trap system of the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer at ISOLDE/CERN. The present study is the first step to extend the until now direct mass measurements at ISOLTRAP to absolute mass measurements by using clusters of /sup 12/C. (10 refs).

Isotope-shift measurements of stable and short-lived lithium isotopes for nuclear-charge-radii determination

Changes in the mean-square nuclear charge radii along the lithium isotopic chain were determined using a combination of precise isotope shift measurements and theoretical atomic structure calculations. Nuclear charge radii of light elements are of high interest due to the appearance of the nuclear halo phenomenon in this region of the nuclear chart. During the past years we have developed a new laser spectroscopic approach to determine the charge radii of lithium isotopes which combines high sensitivity, speed, and accuracy to measure the extremely small field shift of an 8 ms lifetime isotope with production rates on the order of only 10,000 atoms/s. The method was applied to all bound iso…

HITRAP: A Facility for Experiments with Trapped Highly Charged Ions

HITRAP is a planned ion trap facility for capturing and cooling of highly charged ions produced at GSI in the heavy-ion complex of the UNILAC-SIS accelerators and the ESR storage ring. In this facility heavy highly charged ions up to uranium will be available as bare nuclei, hydrogenlike ions or few-electron systems at low temperatures. The trap for receiving and studying these ions is designed for operation at extremely high vacuum by cooling to cryogenic temperatures. The stored highly charged ions can be investigated in the trap itself or can be extracted from the trap at energies up to about 10 keV/q. The proposed physics experiments are collision studies with highly charged ions at wel…

Spurenbestimmung der Radionuclide90Sr und89Sr in Umweltproben I: Laser-Massenspektrometrie

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.

A Possible New Value for the Electron Mass from g-Factor Measurements on Hydrogen-Like Ions

The mass of the electron in atomic units (m e) represents the largest error contribution in an experiment to determine the g-factor of the electron bound in hydrogen-like carbon. Recent progress in the calculation reduces the uncertainty of the theoretical value to such a low value that m e can be determined from a comparison of experimental and theoretical g-factors. The present preliminary value of the electron mass agrees with the accepted value but reduces the uncertainty by about a factor 2.

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…

Lifetime measurements of highly excited Rydberg states of strontium I

Lifetimes of Rydberg states of the triplet-series 5s ns3S1 withn = 19–23, 35 and 5s nd3D3 withn = 18–20, 23–28 in the spectrum of neutral strontium have been determined. Observation of the exponential decay after excitation by a pulsed laser in a fast atomic beam and subsequent state-selective field ionization was employed. The lifetimes of the states of the3S1-series show the expectedn*3 dependence on the effective principal quantum number, while the3D3-series is disturbed by configuration mixing. Furthermore, state re-populations induced by black-body radiation have been observed.

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.

A laser ion source for trace analysis

A laser ion source has been set up which is based on resonant stepwise excitation and ionization of atomic vapor confined in an ionization chamber. Using a pulsed copper vapor/dye laser system with a high repetition rate (6.5 kHz) one expects high efficiency and high selectivity for this new type of ion source. First test experiments with lead are reported.

ISOLTRAP: A tandem penning trap mass spectrometer for radioactive isotopes

The masses of over sixty short-lived Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Fr and Ra isotopes have been measured at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE at CERN/Geneva by determination of their cyclotron frequency in the tandem Penning trap system ISOLTRAP. Resolving powers exceedingm/Δm(FWHM)=106 and accuracies of typically δm/m=10−7 could be achieved. ISOLTRAP can also act as an isomer separator, as proven for the cases of84Rb and78Rb.

Continuous Stern–Gerlach effect and the magnetic moment of the antiproton

Abstract The measurement of the magnetic moment (or g-factor ) of the antiproton and of the proton is a sensitive test of CPT invariance. We discuss the possibility of applying the continuous Stern–Gerlach effect to detect quantum jumps between the two spin states (spin up and spin down) of the antiproton. The measurement will be performed on a single antiproton stored in a Penning trap. The g -factor of the antiproton is determined by measuring its cyclotron frequency and its spin precession frequency in the magnetic field of the trap. With the double Penning trap method the g -factor of the antiproton can be determined with an accuracy of 1 ppb.

A penning trap for studying cluster ions

We propose to use a Penning trap for spectroscopy of stored cluster ions. A similar device has been built for the purpose of mass measurements of short-lived nuclei produced at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN. A resolving power of 500,000 in a mass measurement of39K and an accuracy of 2 × 10−7 for the85Rb/39K mass ratio were obtained. An efficiency for in-flight capture as high as 70% was achieved. The method provides very high sensitivity since typically only 10 to 100 ions are stored in the trap. We intend to perform laser spectroscopy on trapped Na clusters as a first application of the trap technique.

Determination of trace elements by resonant ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS)

A resonant ionization mass spectrometer has been developed as an analytical tool for the detection of trace elements, especially of plutonium and other radionuclides. The sample, deposited on a rhenium filament, is evaporated by electrical heating and the atoms of the element under investigation are selectively ionized by laser light delivered from three dye lasers pumped by a copper vapour laser. The resulting photoions are detected in a time-of-flight spectrometer with a channelplate detector. For plutonium a mass resolution of M/δM=1500 was obtained and an overall detection efficiency of 4×10−6 was determined for stepwise excitation and ionization via autoionizing states. With a laser li…

Resonance ionization spectroscopy for trace analysis and fundamental research

Resonance ionization spectroscopy (RIS) and its combination with mass spectrometry (RIMS) have grown to become powerful techniques, which offer high sensitivity as well as elemental and isotopic selectivity. The principles of RIS and RIMS are introduced; they primarily concern the analysis of the optical spectra for the choice of efficient excitation schemes and the suitable design of the experimental apparatus. Recent applications span from studies of short-lived isotopes at on-line mass separators to a wide variety of trace analysis applications for radioactive isotopes, which can range from measurements of solar neutrino flux to environmental assessment.

Cluster calibration in mass spectrometry: laser desorption/ionization studies of atomic clusters and an application in precision mass spectrometry.

For accurate mass measurements and identification of atomic and molecular species precise mass calibration is mandatory. Recent studies with laser desorption/ionization and time-of-flight analysis of cluster ion production by use of fullerene and gold targets demonstrate the generation of atomic clusters for calibration purposes. Atomic ion results from the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP, in which a carbon cluster ion source has recently been installed, are presented as an application in the field of precision mass spectrometry.

Electron and positron cooling of highly charged ions in a cooler Penning trap

Abstract Electron cooling is a well-established technique to increase the phase space density of particle beams in storage rings. In this paper, we discuss the feasibility of electron and positron cooling of ions in a Penning trap. We calculate the cooling times for the cases of trapped bare ions with nuclear charge Z =1 (protons), Z =36 (krypton) and Z =92 (uranium) with the Spitzer formula. Our calculations show that for typical experimental conditions the time for cooling from initial energies of 10 keV per charge down to rest is in the order of a second. We investigate the dependence of the cooling time on the number of ions and electrons, and their charge and mass.

High-precision masses of neutron-deficient rubidium isotopes using a Penning trap mass spectrometer

The atomic masses of the neutron-deficient radioactive rubidium isotopes $^{74-77,79,80,83}$Rb have been measured with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. Using the time-of-flight cyclotron resonance technique, relative mass uncertainties ranging from $1.6 \times 10^{-8}$ to $5.6 \times 10^{-8}$ were achieved. In all cases, the mass precision was significantly improved as compared with the prior Atomic-Mass Evaluation; no significant deviations from the literature values were observed. The exotic nuclide $^{74}$Rb with a half-life of only 65 ms, is the shortest-lived nuclide on which a high-precision mass measurement in a Penning trap has been carried out. The significance of these…

New results with stored exotic nuclei at relativistic energies

Recently, much progress has been made with stored exotic nuclei at relativistic velocities ( v c = 0.7 ) . Fragments of 208Pb and 209Bi projectiles and fission products from 238U ions were produced, separated in flight with the fragment separator FRS, and injected into the storage-cooler ring ESR for precision measurements. 114 new masses of neutron-deficient isotopes in the lead region have been measured with time-resolved Schottky Mass Spectrometry (SMS). A new isospin dependence of the pairing energy was observed due to the improved mass accuracy of typically 1.5×10-7 (30 keV). New masses of short-lived neutron-rich fission fragments have been obtained with Isochronous Mass Spectrometry …

Observation of the Continuous Stern-Gerlach Effect on an Electron Bound in an Atomic Ion

We report on the first observation of the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect on an electron bound in an atomic ion. The measurement was performed on a single hydrogenlike ion ( 12C5+) in a Penning trap. The measured g factor of the bound electron, g = 2.001 042(2), is in excellent agreement with the theoretical value, confirming the relativistic correction at a level of 0.1%. This proves the possibility of g-factor determinations on atomic ions to high precision by using the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect. The result demonstrates the feasibility of conducting experiments on single heavy highly charged ions to test quantum electrodynamics in the strong electric field of the nucleus.

Fragmentation pattern of gold clusters collided with xenon atoms

Abstract The dissociation channels of gold cluster ions Au n + (2 ≤ n ≤ 23) have been investigated via collision induced dissociation in a Penning trap. Excited odd cluster ions with n ≤ 15 decay by evaporation of dimers, all others decay by monomer evaporation. Information on the binding energies is deduced from these dissociation channels.

Nuclear Spins of the IsomersHg191m−185mDetermined by On-Line Quantum-Beat Spectroscopy

The nuclear spins of the very neutron-deficient $^{191m\ensuremath{-}185m}\mathrm{Hg}$ isomers were measured on line at the mass separator ISO LIDE at CERN using pulsed-laser excitation and observation of the time-resolved quantum beats from selected hyperfine-structure states. The spins of these isomers are with $I=\frac{13}{2}$ equal to those of the long-lived isomers $^{199m\ensuremath{-}193m}\mathrm{Hg}$ already known. The persistence of this spin value for eight isomers is explained by the model of rotation-aligned coupling.

Towards high-precision mass measurements on 74Rb for a test of the CVC hypothesis and the unitarity of the CKM matrix

At the highest possible precisions, atomic-mass measurements can be used to perform fundamental studies. Examples for such studies are a check of the conserved-vector-current (CVC) hypothesis and the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix, both postulates of the Standard Model. The comparative half-lives Ft of superallowed β decays constitute the nuclear-physics access to these tests. The Q value of the β decay of 74 Rb, one of the three experimentally accessible parameters that enter into the Ft values, has been measured with the ISOLTRAP experiment at ISOLDE/CERN. The ultimate mass precision requirement and the way to achieve it are outlined.

The g-factor of the Electron Bound in Hydrogen-like Ions

The experimental determination of the magnetic moment (g-factor) of the electron bound in hydrogen-like ions represents a clean test of Quantum Electrodynamics, because it is not very sensitive to nuclear structure effects. Experimental data on the g-factor of the bound electron are available only for the hydrogen atom and the 4He+-ion. In this paper we present the first result for the g-factor of hydrogen-like carbon (12C5+). The experimental accuracy is high enough to verify the relativistic contribution to the g-factor on the 10-3 level.

Ground-state properties of neutron-deficient platinum isotopes

The hyperfine structure splitting and the isotope shift in the λ=266 nm transition of Pt isotopes within the mass range 183 ≦A≦ 198 have been determined by Resonance Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (RIMS) in combination with Pulsed-Laser Induced Desorption (PLID). The Pt isotopes were obtained at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE-3/CERN as daugthers of the primarily produced Hg isotopes. Magnetic moments, quadrupole moments, and changes in the mean-square charge radii are deduced and compared with results of a particle-triaxial rotor model and mean field calculations. Good agreement with experimental data (including nuclear level schemes and transition probabilities) can only be obtained if…

Mass mapping of a new area of neutron-deficient suburanium nuclides

Abstract The masses of 64 short-lived neutron-deficient nuclides covering the element range from tungsten to uranium have been obtained for the first time. They have been evaluated by combining directly measured masses from Schottky mass spectrometry with linked experimental Q-values in α-decay chains. Based on these new mass data we have determined the one-proton and two-proton drip-lines as well as the size of the “littoral shallow” of the sea of instability. No evidence of a Thomas–Ehrman shift has been found in the region of the investigated heavy nuclides. A peculiar behavior of two-proton separation energies has been observed in the lead region. The predictive power of various mass mo…

Direct mass measurements of unstable rare earth isotopes with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer

Abstract Direct mass measurements of neutron deficient rare earth isotopes in the vicinity of 146 Gd were performed for the first time with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN. Since ISOL-facilities deliver these isotopes with a large amount of isobaric contamination, these measurements became possible only after the installation of a new cooler trap which acts as an isobar separator. To date more than 40 isotopes of the elements Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Dy, and Ho have been measured with a typical accuracy of δm ≈ 14 keV. Some of these isotopes provide an important anchor for many other isotopes linked by known Q-values.

Measurement of the g Factor of the Bound Electron in Hydrogen-like Oxygen 16O7+

The measurement of the g factor of the electron bound in a hydrogen-like ion is a high- accuracy test of the theory of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) in strong fields. Here we report on the measurement of the g factor of the bound electron in hydrogen-like oxygen 16O7+. In our experiment a single 16O7+ ion is stored in a Penning trap. Quantum jumps between the two spin states (spin up and spin down) are induced by a microwave field at the spin precession frequency of the bound electron. The g factor of the bound electron is obtained by varying the microwave frequency and counting the number of spin flips. Our experimental value for the g factor of the bound electron is gexp(16O7+) = 2.000 04…

Restoration of theN=82Shell Gap from Direct Mass Measurements ofSn132,134

A high-precision direct Penning trap mass measurement has revealed a 0.5-MeV deviation of the binding energy of (134)Sn from the currently accepted value. The corrected mass assignment of this neutron-rich nuclide restores the neutron-shell gap at N=82, previously considered to be a case of "shell quenching." In fact, the new shell gap value for the short-lived (132)Sn is larger than that of the doubly magic (48)Ca which is stable. The N=82 shell gap has considerable impact on fission recycling during the r process. More generally, the new finding has important consequences for microscopic mean-field theories which systematically deviate from the measured binding energies of closed-shell nu…

Mass spectrometry of atomic ions produced by in-trap decay of short-lived nuclides

The triple-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN has demonstrated the feasibility of mass spectrometry of in-trap-decay product ions. This novel technique gives access to radionuclides, which are not produced directly at ISOL-type radioactive ion beam facilities. As a proof of principle, the in-trap decay of $^{37}K^+$ has been investigated in a Penning trap filled with helium buffer gas. The half-life of the mother nuclide was confirmed and the recoiling $^{37}Ar^+$ daughter ion was contained within the trap. The ions of either the mother or the daughter nuclide were transferred to a precision Penning trap, where their mass was determined.

Beta decay of the new isotope101Sn

The very neutron-deficient isotope 101Sn was produced in a 50Cr(58Ni, 2p5n) reaction and its decay properties were determined for the first time. By using chemically selective ion sources of an on-line mass separator, the energy spectrum and the half-life (3 ± 1 s) of beta-delayed protons of 101Sn were measured. These results are compared to theoretical predictions.

Precision studies in traps: Measurement of fundamental constants and tests of fundamental theories

Experiments on single atomic particles confined in Penning ion traps have contributed significantly to the improvements of fundamental constants and to tests of the theory of Quantum Electrodynamics for free and bound electrons. The most precise value of the fine structure constant as well as the electron mass have been derived from trap experiments. Numerous atomic masses of interest for fundamental questions have been determined with precisions of 10 � 9 or below. Further progress is envisaged in the near future.

Towards electronic g-factor measurements in medium-heavy hydrogen-like and lithium-like ions

Abstract Measurements of the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron bound in hydrogen-like ions with spinless nuclei have proven to be highly sensitive tests of corresponding calculations based on bound-state quantum electrodynamics. Measurements performed on H-like carbon 12C5+ and oxygen 16O7+ together with bound-state QED calculations on the same level of accuracy have achieved sensitivities around 0.25% of the QED bound state contributions to the calculated electronic g-factors of these ions. Currently, a similar experiment on hydrogen-like calcium 40Ca19+, lithium-like calcium 40Ca17+ and other medium-heavy ions is being prepared, which is capable of increasing this sensitivity on t…

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.

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.

ElectronicgFactor of Hydrogenlike OxygenO7+16

We present an experimental value for the $g$ factor of the electron bound in hydrogenlike oxygen, which is found to be ${g}_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{x}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{t}}=2.000\text{ }047\text{ }025\text{ }4\text{ }(15)(44)$. The experiment was performed on a single $^{16}\mathrm{O}^{7+}$ ion stored in a Penning trap. For the first time, the expected line shape of the $g$-factor resonance is calculated which is essential for minimizing the systematic uncertainties. The measurement agrees within $1.1\text{ }\ensuremath{\sigma}$ with the predicted theoretical value ${g}_{\mathrm{t}\mathrm{h}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{y}}=2.000\text{ }047\text{ }020\text{ }2\text{ }(6)$. It represents a…

External-ion accumulation in a Penning trap with quadrupole excitation assisted buffer gas cooling

Abstract A pulsed ion beam from an external source is injected into a Penning trap and accumulated by repeatedly lowering during ion capture to prevent the ions already captured from escaping. For the same reason the newly captured ions have to be cooled, which achieved by buffer gas collisions. To prevent radial on loss, the ions are exposed to azimuthal quadrupole excitation. By choosing the appropriate frequency (range) this method (selective quadrupole excitation assisted capture and centering (SQUEACE) allows a mass selection during the capture process and leads to a centering of those ions in the Penning trap. The multiple ion bunch capture results in a significant improvement in sign…

Cluster isobars for high-precision mass spectrometry

Doublet mass measurements of the isobars28Si3 and12C7 are performed by use of a Penning trap mass spectrometer and the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR). The carbon and silicon cluster ions are produced by laser ablation. Results of these preliminary measurements are presented.

Measurement of the Parity Violation in Quasi-Elastic Electroweak Electron-Scattering from 9Be

In the energy range of about 300 MeV, available at the Mainz- Linac, quasi-elastic scattering dominates the total cross section at backward scattering angles. This process can therefore be detected efficiently by a gas Cerenkov-counter with large solid angle. This is a prerequisit for experiments on parity violation due to the very small asymmetry effect being of the order of 1|10-5 at these energies [1]. The counting system built, consists of 12 elliptical mirrors, imaging the Cerenkov photons seen in target direction onto photomultipliers. The mirrors cover the full azimuth for polar angles 115°≦ϑ≦145°, thus covering 20% of 4π (Fig. 1). The detector has been proved to yield a statistical …

Nuclear ground state properties: Recent results and prospects at isolde

The application of lasers to nuclear physics is an extremely lively and Interesting area of research in physics. In the few years that have passed since its development, a large number of beautiful experiments have been performed. Most of the experiments have been performed at ISOLDE. For the next years, optical spectroscopy will continue to play a key role for a determination of spins, moments and charge radll of nuclear ground or isomeric states.

First Determination of the Ionization Potential of Americium and Curium

Concluding remarks application of lasers to nuclear physics

Ion traps — recent applications and developments

Abstract Paul and Penning traps are now widely applied in chemistry and physics laboratories. They are used as storage devices, as tools for precision spectroscopy and metrology, and as mass spectrometers. Direct mass measurements of short-lived Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Fr and Ra isotopes were performed at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE at CERN, Geneva, by means of a tandem Penning trap system. The ions from ISOLDE are captured and cooled in a first trap and trasnferred to a second trap. Here the mass of the trapped ions is determined by measuring their cyclotron frequency. Resolving powers exceeding m/Δm (FWHM) = 106 could be achieved. Mass values of about 60 isotopes have been determined with a…

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.

An efficient excitation scheme for resonance ionization of tin in a laser ion source

An efficient three-colour, three-step resonant excitation/ionization scheme has been found for tin that leads from the 5p23P2 level of the ground-state multiplet via two excited atomic levels (λ1 = 317.51 nm and λ2 = 811.40 nm) to an autoionizing state 9s3P2(λ3 = 823.49 nm) at 59375.9 cm−1. This excitation path permits the saturation of all transitions with the limited power available from a copper vapour laser pumped dye laser system (Esat ≈ 1.5 mJcm2 for λ3). The high repetition rate of such a laser system is essential for a highly efficient laser ion source.

Hyperfine structure in 5s 4d 3 D ?5snf transitions of87Sr

The hyperfine spectra of the 5s4d3D1-5s20f, 5s4d3D2-5s23f, and 5s 4d3D3-5s32f transitions of87Sr (I=9/2) have been measured by collinear fast beam laser spectroscopy. The structure in the upper configurations is highly perturbed by fine structure splitting that is of comparable size to the hyperfine interaction energy. These perturbations can be adequately treated with conventional matrix diagonalization methods, using the 5s-electron magnetic dipole interaction terma5s and the unperturbed fine structure splittings as input parameters. Additionally, hyperfine constants for the lower 5s4d3D configurations, including theA- andB-factors and a separation of the individuals- andd-electron contri…

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.

The charge radii of $^{198}$Pt - $^{183}$Pt

The changes of the mean-square charge radii have been measured for198Pt-183Pt by means of resonance ionization mass spectroscopy (RIMS) at the new on-line isotope separator ISOLDE-3/CERN. As in the case of the neighbouring isotopes of Au and Hg, a strong nuclear deformation of ¦β2¦ −-0.24 is reached at the neutron mid-shell nucleus183Pt, but no indication for a sharp shape transition is observed from the study of the isotope shifts.

Trace determination of 90Sr and 89Sr in environmental samples by collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy

Collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy has been developed as a sensitive technique for fast trace detection of 90Sr and 89Sr in the environment. A detection limit for 90Sr of 107 atoms in the presence of 1017 atoms in the presence of 1017 atoms of stable Strontium has been achieved, while the applicability of the method has been demonstrated on real world samples. After collection and chemical separation, strontium is surface ionized, accelerated to 33keV and mass separated. The ions are neutralized and the emerging fast atoms interact with an argon ion laser beam (γ=364 nm) in a quasi‐collinear geometry. Optical excitation starts from the long‐lived 5s4d3 D2 state of strontium, which …

Measurement of the gj factor of hydrogenic ions: a sensitive test of bound state QED

Thegj factor measurement of hydrogenic ions in the 1s ground state is with an expected accuracy of 10−7 a sensitive test of bound state QED. We expect to determine the deviations from the free electron value, caused by relativistic and radiative corrections, up to the orderα/4π(Zα)2 with an accuracy of 1%. As a first step, light ions like C5+ will be investigated. Later on, heavier hydrogenic ions up to U91+ will be examined using the accelerator facilities at GSI in Darmstadt.

Mass measurements on unstable Sn and Sr isotopes with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer

Direct mass measurements have been performed on the isotopes 76,77,80,81Sr and 129,130,131,132Sn by means of the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN. In the case of 76Sr the mass was measured for the first time and an accuracy of about 30 keV was reached (Fig. 1). The masses of the tin isotopes are known for a long time from Q β measurements.

Laser Spectroscopy of Short-Lived Isotopes in Fast Atomic Beams and Resonance Cells

The introduction of laser techniques to optical spectroscopy of hyperfine structure (HFS) and isotope shift (IS) has put new life into this field at the intersection between atomic and nuclear physics which is now about fifty years old. Two severe limitations of classical spectroscopy could be reduced drastically, i.e., (i) the amount of atoms needed for optical spectroscopy and (ii) the Doppler width of optical lines. The increase in sensitivity went together with the development of powerful accelerators or reactors so that exotic nuclei with half lives down to 10 msec can now be produced and optically analysed. The increase in resolution allows the determination of nuclear spins, nuclear …

Precision Measurements of Atomic Masses Using Highly Charged Ions and Atomic Clusters

A high precision Penning trap will be connected to the beam of highly charged ions from the electron beam ion source CRYSIS at the Manne Siegbahn Institute for Physics (MSI) in Stockholm. The first series of experiments aim at accurate mass measurements by exploiting the increase of the cyclotron frequency with the charge state of the trapped ion. Using charged states of about 50 it should be possible to achieve relative mass accuracies for mass doublets better than 10-9. For this high accuracy a Penning trap with low imperfections is needed, as well as a sophisticated beam handling and retardation system for controlled injection of the ions into the trap. In order to minimize the effect of…

Collision induced dissociation of stored gold cluster ions

The stability of gold cluster ions Au + (2≦n≦23) has been investigated via collision induced dissociation in a Penning trap. Threshold energies and dissociation channels have been determined. The cluster stability exhibits a pronounced odd — even alternation: Clusters with an odd number of atoms,n, are more stable than the even-numbered ones. Enhanced stabilities are found for Au 3 + , Au 9 + , and Au 19 + in accordance with the Clemenger-Nilsson and the deformed jellium model of delocalized valence electrons. Excited odd cluster ions withn≦15 predominantly decay by evaporation of dimers; all others decay by monomer evaporation. From the dissociation channels estimates of the binding energi…

Observation of strongly deformed ground-state configurations in $^{184}$Au and $^{183}$Au by laser spectroscopy

Resonance ionization mass spectroscopy (RIMS) and pulsed-laser induced desorption (PLID) have been combined in order to study the isotope shift (IS) and hyperfine structure (HFS) of184Au (T1/2=53 s) and183Au (T1/2=42 s) in the 6s2S1/2 → 6p2P1/2 (λ=267 nm) transition. The Au isotopes were obtained as daughters in the decay of184,183Hg produced and mass separated at the new ISOLDE-3 facility at CERN. It was found that the strong deformationβ2}-0.25 setting in at186Au persists down to183Au.

Au n+-induced decomposition of N2O

Reactions between small gold cluster ions, Au, and N2O were studied in a Penning trap mass spectrometer. Gold clusters were produced by laser vaporization and injected into a Penning trap. After reaction times of 50–7000ms the products were detected by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. For the major reaction channel, Au + N2OAu1,2N + NO+, rates of (0.9±0.1)×10−12 cm3 s−1 and (2.4±0.4)×10−12 cm3 s−1 were determined which are about a factor 500 below the collision rate. The corresponding activation energies for N2O decomposition were estimated to lie below 0.6 eV and 0.3 eV. Additional products with small branching ratios were detected, viz. the ions Au1O+, Au1N2O+, Au2N+, Au2NO+, Au2N2O+, Au…

Towards higher accuracy with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer

To now the masses of more than hundred unstable isotopes have been determined with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer installed at ISOLDE/CERN. Typically a resolving power of mΔm ≈ 1 × 106 was used and the mass determinations were assigned an accuracy of δmm ≈ 1 × 10−7. We show that with improvements to ISOLTRAP and refinements of the experimental technique an accuracy of δmm ≈ 3 × 10−8 can be obtained.

Mass measurements of $^{56-57}$Cr and the question of shell reincarnation at N = 32

Binding energies determined with high accuracy provide smooth derivatives of the mass surface for analysis of shell and pairing effects. Measurements with the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at CERN-ISOLDE were made for $^{56-57}$Cr for which an accuracy of 4 $\times 10^{-8}$ was achieved. Analysis of the mass surface for the supposed new N = 32 shell closure rather indicates a sub-shell closure, but of a different nature than known cases such as $^{94}$Sr.