S. Franchoo

Accelerated radioactive beams from REX-ISOLDE

In 2001 the linear accelerator of the Radioactive beam EXperiment (REX-ISOLDE) delivered for the first time accelerated radioactive ion beams, at a beam energy of 2 MeV/u. REX-ISOLDE uses the method of charge-state breeding, in order to enhance the charge state of the ions before injection into the LINAC. Radioactive singly-charged ions from the on-line mass separator ISOLDE are first accumulated in a Penning trap, then charge bred to an A/q < 4.5 in an electron beam ion source (EBIS) and finally accelerated in a LINAC from 5 keV/u to energies between 0.8 and 2.2 MeV/u. Dedicated measurements with REXTRAP, the transfer line and the EBIS have been carried out in conjunction with the first commissioning of the accelerator. Thus the properties of the different elements could be determined for further optimization of the system. In two test beam times in 2001 stable and radioactive Na isotopes (Na-23-Na-26) have been accelerated and transmitted to a preliminary target station. There Ni-58- and Be-9- and H-2-targets have been used to study exited states via Coulomb excitation and neutron transfer reactions. One MINIBALL triple cluster detector was used together with a double sided silicon strip detector to detect scattered particles in coincidence with gamma-rays. The aim was to study the operation of the detector under realistic conditions with gamma-background from the beta-decay of the radioactive ions and from the cavities. Recently for efficient detection eight tripple Ge-detectors of MINIBALL and a double sided silicon strip detector have been installed. We will present the first results obtained in the commissioning experiments and will give an overview of realistic beam parameters for future experiments to be started in the spring 2002.

On-line yields obtained with the ISOLDE RILIS

The ISOLDE resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS) allows to ionize efficiently and selectively many metallic elements. In recent yield surveys and on-line experiments with the ISOLDE RILIS we observed 23–34 Mg, 26–34 Al, 98–132 Cd, 149 Tb, 155–177 Yb, 179–200 Tl, 183–215 Pb and 188–218 Bi. The obtained yields are presented together with measured release parameters which allow to extrapolate the release efficiency towards more exotic (short-lived) nuclides of the same elements. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Oxide fiber targets at ISOLDE

Abstract Many elements are rapidly released from oxide matrices. Some oxide powder targets show a fast sintering, thus losing their favorable release characteristics. Loosely packed oxide fiber targets are less critical since they may maintain their open structure even when starting to fuse together at some contact points. The experience with various oxide fiber targets (titania, zirconia, ceria and thoria) used in the last years at ISOLDE is reviewed. For short-lived isotopes of Cu, Ga and Xe the zirconia and ceria targets respectively provided significantly higher yields than any other target (metal foils, oxide powders, etc.) tested before. Titania fibers, which were not commercially available, were produced in a relic process by impregnation of a rayon felt in a titanium chloride solution and subsequent calcination by heating the dried felt in air. Thoria fibers were obtained either by the same process or by burning commercial gas lantern mantle cloth. In the future a beryllia fiber target could be used to produce very intense 6He beams (order of 1013 ions per second) via the 9Be(n,α) reaction using spallation neutrons.

Production yields of noble-gas isotopes from ISOLDE UCx/graphite targets

Yields of He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe isotopic chains were measured from UCx/graphite and ThCx/graphite targets at the PSB-ISOLDE facility at CERN using isobaric selectivity achieved by the combination of a plasma-discharge ion source with a water-cooled transfer line. The delay times measured for a UCx/graphite target allow for an extrapolation to the expected yields of very neutron-rich noble gas isotopes, in particular for the NuPECC reference elements Ar and Kr, at the next-generation radioactive ion-beam facility EURISOL. (C)2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-analog beta decay of Rb-74

The magnitude of the Coulomb mixing parameter δ 1 has been experimentally deduced, for the first time, for the β decay of 74 Rb. The estimated magnitude is derived from the feeding of the non-analog first excited 0 + state in 74 Kr. The inferred upper limit of 0.07% is small compared to theoretical predictions. The half-life was measured to be 64.90(9) ms. uf6d9 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Beta-decay of O-22

A mass-separated 12C22O molecular ion beam from the ISOLDE facility was used to study the decay of neutron-rich 22O. The experimental results were compared with the results from an earlier experiment and predictions by shell-model calculations using various effective interactions. The mechanism leading to the vanishing decay strength to the first 1+ level of the 22F nucleus, predicted with the USD effective interaction but not supported by the experimental data, is analysed.

Decay of 48-50Ar isotopes

Information on β-decay properties of neutron-rich 48-50Ar was obtained at the ISOLDE mass-separator facility at CERN using isobaric selectivity. This was achieved by a combination of a plasma-ion source with a cooled transfer line and subsequent mass-separation. Normally, argon beams cannot be mass-separated from intense multi-charged symmetric fission krypton and xenon. Several techniques were used successfully in order to overcome this problem. Implication of the obtained information for a better understanding of the origin of the 48Ca/46Ca isotopic anomaly discovered in inclusions from the Allende meteorite is discussed.

First observation of the β-decay of neutron-rich 215Pb and 218Bi by the pulsed-release technique and resonant laser ionisation

The neutron-rich Tl, Pb and Bi isotopes are of exceptional interest to trace the evolution of single-particle levels away from the doubly magic 208Pb towards the neutron-rich side of the nuclear chart. While 208Pb is well understood in terms of the shell model, experimental data on the heavier isotopes is very scarce and it is far from clear to what extent the shell model is upheld [1]. Furthermore, large branchings ratios for β-delayed neutron emission are expected in this mass region, adding astrophysical interest to the subject [2].

β-decay of 78Cu produced with the ISOLDE resonance ionization laser ion source

Nuclides in the vicinity of the doubly magic 78Ni nucleus are ideal test cases for the nuclear shell model [1,2]. Still, experimental data in this region is rather scarce because of experimental limitations. In this contribution we report the first observation of the β-decay of 78Cu, only one proton and one neutron hole away from 78Ni.

RIB production test at ISOLDE with 600 MeV protons

The energy dependence of production yields for Kr and Cs isotopes has been investigated with 600 MeV, 1 GeV and 1.4 GeV protons.