In-Source Laser Spectroscopy with the Laser Ion Source and Trap: First Direct Study of the Ground-State Properties of Po217,219

A Laser Ion Source and Trap (LIST) for a thick-target, isotope-separation on-line facility has been implemented at CERN ISOLDE for the production of pure, laser-ionized, radioactive ion beams. It offers two modes of operation, either as an ion guide, which performs similarly to the standard ISOLDE r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. X 2015-01, Vol.5 (1)
Main Author: Fink, D A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alpha decay
Beta decay
CERN
Contamination
Francium
Hyperfine structure
Ion beams
Ion sources
Ionization
Lasers
Medical research
Particle decay
Particle energy
Polonium
Polonium isotopes
Potential gradient
Quadrupoles
Radioisotopes
Resonance
Selectivity
Spectrum analysis
Uranium
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Summary:A Laser Ion Source and Trap (LIST) for a thick-target, isotope-separation on-line facility has been implemented at CERN ISOLDE for the production of pure, laser-ionized, radioactive ion beams. It offers two modes of operation, either as an ion guide, which performs similarly to the standard ISOLDE resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS), or as a more selective ion source, where surface-ionized ions from the hot ion-source cavity are repelled by an electrode, while laser ionization is done within a radio-frequency quadrupole ion guide. The first physics application of the LIST enables the suppression of francium contamination in ion beams of neutron-rich polonium isotopes at ISOLDE by more than 1000 with a reduction in laser-ionization efficiency of only 20. Resonance ionization spectroscopy is performed directly inside the LIST device, allowing the study of the hyperfine structure and isotope shift of Po217 for the first time. Nuclear decay spectroscopy of Po219 is performed for the first time, revealing its half-life, α -to-β -decay branching ratio, and α -particle energy. This experiment demonstrates the applicability of the LIST at radioactive ion-beam facilities for the production and study of pure beams of exotic isotopes.
ISSN:2160-3308
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevX.5.011018