U. Georg

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.

Alkali suppression within laser ion-source cavities and time structure of the laser ionized ion-bunches

Abstract The chemical selectivity of the target and ion-source production system is an asset for radioactive ion-beam (RIB) facilities equipped with mass separators. Ionization via laser induced multiple resonant steps has such selectivity. However, the selectivity of the ISOLDE resonant ionization laser ion-source (RILIS), where ionization takes place within high temperature refractory metal cavities, suffers from unwanted surface ionization of low ionization potential alkalis. In order to reduce this type of isobaric contaminant, surface ionization within the target vessel was used. On-line measurements of the efficiency of this method is reported, suppression factors of alkalis up to an order of magnitude were measured as a function of their ionization potential. The time distribution of the ion-bunches produced with the RILIS was measured for a variety of elements and high temperature cavity materials. While all ions are produced within a few nanoseconds, the ion-bunch sometimes spreads over more than 100 μs. This demonstrates that ions are confined within high temperature metallic cavities. It is the internal electrical field of these cavities that causes the ions to drifts to the extraction region and defines the dwell time of the ions in the cavity. Beam optics calculations were carried out to simulate the pulse shape of a RILIS ion-bunch and are compared to the actual measurements.

Effects of thermal shocks on the release of radioisotopes and on molten metal target vessels

Abstract The ISOLDE pulsed proton beam peak power amounts to 500 MW during the 2.4 μs proton pulse. The fraction of the proton pulse energy deposited in the target material is at the origin of severe thermal shocks. Quantitative measurement of their effect on the release of radioelements from ISOLDE targets was obtained by comparison of release profiles measured under different proton beam settings. The thermal shock induced in liquids (Pb, Sn, La) lead to mechanical failure of ISOLDE molten metal target vessels. Failure analysis is presented and discussed in the light of the response of mercury samples submitted to the ISOLDE beam and monitored by high-speed optical systems.

Isomer separation and measurement of nuclear moments with the ISOLDE RILIS

Short-lived radioisotopes are element selectively ionized by the resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS) of the on-line isotope separator ISOLDE (CERN). The relative production of low and high spin isomers can be significantly changed when a narrow-bandwidth laser is used to scan through the atomic hyperfine structure. This allows the assignment of gamma ray transitions to the decay of the individual isomers. Moreover, the measurement of the hyperfine splitting provides a very sensitive method for the determination of magnetic moments of exotic isotopes. The technical developments are discussed for the example of copper.

The high resolution spectrometer at ISOLDE

Abstract ISOLDE’s high-resolution isotope separator was recomissioned in mid 2000, after a period out of service. Since then the separator has routinely run with a mass resolution of 3000–4500, and during 2001 it delivered 72% of ISOLDE’s radioactive output. A concerted effort has been made to understand the ion optics and optimise performance. In this paper we present an overview of the HRS, and investigate the factors which limit the attainable mass resolution: ion-source emittance, optical aberrations, beam instrumentation and magnet stability.

OPTICAL POLARIZATION OF NEUTRON-RICH SODIUM ISOTOPES AND BETA -NMR MEASUREMENTS OF QUADRUPOLE MOMENTS

The nuclear quadrupole moments of neutron-rich sodium isotopes are being investigated with the help of in-beam polarization by optical pumping in combination withβ-NMR techniques. First measurements have yielded the quadrupole splittings of NMR signals in the lattice of LiNbO3 for the isotopes26Na,27Na and28Na. Interaction constants and ratios of the electric quadrupole moments are derived. In view of future experiments,β-decay asymmetries for the sequence of isotopes up to theN=20 neutron shell closure,26–31Na, have been measured.

β-NMR in II–VI semiconductors

Abstractβ-active probe nuclei are implanted in nominally undoped ZnSe crystals. β-radiation detected nuclear magnetic resonance (β-NMR) studies are described for two different probe nuclei, 8Li and 12B. This way, the implantation behavior of two “opposite”dopants, one acceptor (Li) and one donor (B) can be characterized by the same microscopic technique. Such characterizations are attempted in terms of the structure of intermediate or final lattice sites, defect charge states, or the kinetics of defect reactions and site changes.

On-line separation of short-lived beryllium isotopes

With the development of a new laser ionization scheme, it became possible to ionize beryllium efficiently in the hot cavity of the ISOLDE laser ion source. The high target and ion source temperatures enable the release of short-lived beryllium isotopes. Thus all particle-stable beryllium isotopes could be extracted from a standard uraniumcarbide/graphite target. For the first time the short-lived isotopes 12Be and 14Be could be identified at an ISOL facility, 14Be being among the most short-lived isotopes separated so far at ISOLDE. The release time from the UC/graphite target was studied with several beryllium isotopes. Profiting from the element selectivity of laser ionization, the strong and isotopically pure beam of 12Be allowed to determine the half-life to T1/2=21.34(23) ms and the probability of beta-delayed neutron emission to Pn=0.48−0.10+0.12%.

Spectroscopic applications of the ISOLDE laser ion source

At the ISOLDE facility radioactive ion beams are produced via proton induced reactions in a target which is connected to a laser ion source. For beryllium a two step excitation scheme with laser light at wavelengths of λ=235 nm and λ=297 nm has been developed. Efficient laser ionization of beryllium was achieved with a new optical set-up using frequency tripling with two non-linear BBO crystals to generate laser light in the ultraviolet for the first excitation step. The second step was optimized to reach the 2p2 1S0 autoionizing state for high ionization efficiency. The isotope shift of 7,9,10,11,12,14Be could be measured by tuning the wavelength of the first step. The laser ion source has also been used for the preparation of neutron-rich silver ion beams. Tuning the laser frequency of the first step it was possible to ionize selectively low-and high spin isomers of silver isotopes via the hyperfine structure. In both cases it was demonstrated that laser spectroscopy of exotic isotopes can be performed ...