Anton Lindahl

Nearly Complete Isobar Suppression by Photodetachment

The efficiency of selective suppression of negative ions by photodetachment in a gas-filled radio frequency quadrupole ion cooler was investigated with a new detection method. A neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser beam at 1064 nm was used to remove Co− ions in the radio frequency quadrupole cooler and the remaining ions were then probed by photodetachment and neutral particle detection. More than 99.99% suppression of the Co− ions was observed. Under identical conditions, only 20% of a Ni− beam was suppressed. The results demonstrate that this isobar suppression technique can lead to nearly complete elimination of certain isobaric contaminants in negative ion beams, opening up new experimental possibilities in nuclear and atomic research and accelerator mass spectrometry.

The electron affinity of phosphorus

We have measured the energies of all three fine structure components in the 3PJ ground state of the negative ion of phosphorus using laser photodetachment threshold spectroscopy. The experiment yielded an electron affinity of 746.68(6) meV. The ΔJ = 2–0, 2–1 and 1–0 fine structure splittings were determined to be 32.73(7) meV, 22.48(7) meV and 10.25(3) meV, respectively. In the experiment, a mass selected beam of P− ions was merged with the output from a pulsed infrared optical parametric oscillator. The residual atoms produced in the photodetachment process were detected and used as a monitor of the photon-energy dependence of the relative cross section. The Wigner law was fitted to each of the three observed onsets of production of neutrals in order to extract the threshold energies.

Depletion of the excited state population in negative ions using laser photodetachment in a gas-filled RF quadrupole ion guide

The depopulation of excited states in beams of negatively charged carbon and silicon ions was demonstrated using collisional detachment and laser photodetachment in a radio-frequency quadrupole ion guide filled with helium. The high-lying, loosely bound 2D excited state in C− was completely depleted through collisional detachment alone, which was quantitatively determined within 6%. For Si− the combined signal from the population in the 2P and 2D excited states was only partly depleted through collisions in the cooler. The loosely bound 2P state was likely to be completely depopulated, and the more tightly bound 2D state was partly depopulated through collisions. 98(2)% of the remaining 2D population was removed by photodetachment in the cooler using less than 2 W laser power. The total reduction of the excited population in Si−, including collisional detachment and photodetachment, was estimated to be 99(1)%. Employing this novel technique to produce a pure ground state negative ion beam offers possibilities of enhancing selectivity, as well as accuracy, in high-precision experiments on atomic as well as molecular negative ions.

Threshold behaviour in photodetachment into a final state with large negative polarizability

In a recent experiment, Lindahl et al. (Lindahl A. O.?et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 108 (2012) 033004) observed a new threshold behavior in the photodetachment of the potassium negative ion when the residual atom is left in the state. Unfortunately the resonance close to threshold made it more difficult to apply the semi-classical model that was developed to describe the threshold behavior. In this paper we present a study of the threshold behavior of the partial cross-section in the photodetachment of the sodium negative ion. The experiment was conducted using a collinear beams apparatus where the detection was performed using a resonance ionization scheme. We observe the same threshold behavior as in the previous experiment, but without any obfuscating resonance. The model derived in the previous paper is found to fit the observed cross-section up to 35 meV above threshold. The present experiment clearly demonstrates the threshold behaviour for the fundamental process of a free electron moving in the field of an atom with a large negative polarizability.

Coulomb breakup of 17 Ne from the view point of nuclear astrophysics

By the Coulomb breakup of 17Ne, the time-reversed reaction 15O(2p,γ)17Ne has been studied. This reaction might play an important role in the rp process, as a break-out reaction of the hot CNO cycle. The secondary 17Ne ion beam with an energy of 500 MeV/nucleon has been dissociated in a Pb target. The reaction products have been detected with the LAND-R3B experimental setup at GSI. The preliminary differential and integral Coulomb dissociation cross section sCoul has been determined, which then will be converted into a photo-absorption cross section sphot o, and a two-proton radiative capture cross section σcap. Additionally, information about the structure of the 17Ne, a potential two-proton halo nucleus, will be received. The analysis is in progress.

Beam purification by photodetachment (invited).

Ion beam purity is of crucial importance to many basic and applied studies in nuclear science. Selective photodetachment has been proposed to suppress unwanted species in negative ion beams while preserving the intensity of the species of interest. A highly efficient technique based on photodetachment in a gas-filled radio frequency quadrupole ion cooler has been demonstrated. In off-line experiments with stable ions, up to 10(4) times suppression of the isobar contaminants in a number of interesting radioactive negative ion beams has been demonstrated. For selected species, this technique promises new experimental possibilities in studies on exotic nuclei, accelerator mass spectrometry, and fundamental properties of negative atomic and molecular ions.

Partial photodetachment cross sections in K

An apparatus for measurements of partial photodetachment cross sections has been constructed. In the first measurements a number of previously unobserved resonances in K− were observed.

Threshold behaviour in photodetachment of K

A photodetachment experiment has been performed with the formation of atoms in highly excited states of high positive and negative polarizabilities. A semiclassical model has been developed to describe the effect of the repulsive polarization potential in the vicinity of the photoreaction threshold.

Improved method for determination of the suppression of isobars in a gas-filled rf quadrupole ion guide

An improved measurement of the limit of isobar suppression by photodetachment has been made. A gas-filled rf quadrupole ion guide was used to slow down negative ions for the purpose of acquiring long interaction times with the applied laser light. A Nd:YAG laser beam (1064nm) was used to selectively deplete a beam of Co- ions inside the rf ion guide and the remaining ions was probed using photodetachment by another Nd:YAG laser and a neutral detector. The neutral detection system allowed for a detection limit more than one order of magnitude better than the previous measurements. With this improved detection method, we show that the suppression of Co- ions was at least four orders of magnitude.

Experimental investigation of electron impact on Si{sub 2}{sup -}

A merged beams technique has been used to investigate collisions between electrons and