R. Jertz

High-accuracy mass determination of unstable cesium and barium isotopes

Abstract 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 δm ≈ 13 keV have been obtained. The masses of 123,124,126 Ba and 122 m 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.

Direct determination of the mass of 28Si 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.

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 applications where one can take advantage of the controlled measuring situation, long observation time and high resolution detection. The initial priority will be given to high precision mass measurements of heavy stable ions. At a future stage, plans are to extend the use to other applications, such as charge exchange processes between neutrals and stored charged ions, electron impact ionization and exposure of clusters and molecules to highly charged ions as well as lifetime determinations of molecules and clusters.

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.

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.

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 trapped86Kr29+-ions is reported.

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.

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.

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 residual trap imperfections the ion motion has to be cooled. In addition the use of mass doublets will contribute to the highest accuracies. We also intend to investigate singly charged cluster ions which offer a new method of achieving mass doublets. So for example a 28Si3 -cluster has the same mass number 84 as a 12C7 cluster. Using such singly charged clusters, produced in an external source, we hope to achieve a relative mass accuracy of about 10-8 for 28Si/ 12C. This measurement is part of an attempt to search for a new atomic kilogram standard. Using fully stripped ions the accuracy should be improved by at least another factor of ten.

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.