Towards a "perfect" Penning trap mass spectrometer for unstable isotopes

A Penning trap mass spectrometer has been set up at the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN for the mass determination of unstable heavy isotopes. The spectrometer should fulfil the following requirements: capture of external ions in high efficiency, high resolving power and accuracy, general applicability to all elements and isotopes available at the on-line facility.