Metrological characterization of the pulsed Rb clock with optical detection

We report on the implementation and the metrological characterization of a vapor-cell Rb frequency standard working in pulsed regime. The three main parts that compose the clock, physics package, optics and electronics, are described in detail in the paper. The prototype is designed and optimized to detect the clock transition in the optical domain. Specifically, the reference atomic transition, excited with a Ramsey scheme, is detected by observing the interference pattern on a laser absorption signal. \ The metrological analysis includes the observation and characterization of the clock signal and the measurement of frequency stability and drift. In terms of Allan deviation, the measured frequency stability results as low as $1.7\times 10^{-13} \ \tau^{-1/2}$, $\tau$ being the averaging time, and reaches the value of few units of $10^{-15}$ for $\tau=10^{4}$ s, an unprecedent achievement for a vapor cell clock. We discuss in the paper the physical effects leading to this result with particular care to laser and microwave noises transferred to the clock signal. The frequency drift, probably related to the temperature, stays below $10^{-14}$ per day, and no evidence of flicker floor is observed. \ We also mention some possible improvements that in principle would lead to a clock stability below the $10^{-13}$ level at 1 s and to a drift of few units of $10^{-15}$ per day

Present and Future Experiments with Stored Exotic Nuclei at Relativistic Energies

Recent progress is presented from experiments on masses and lifetimes of bare and few-electron exotic nuclei at GSI.Comment: Proceedings of International Conference on "Frontiers in Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions", Kos, Greece, September 12-17, 200

An Atom Laser with a cw Output Coupler

We demonstrate a continuous output coupler for magnetically trapped atoms. Over a period of up to 100 ms a collimated and monoenergetic beam of atoms is continuously extracted from a Bose- Einstein condensate. The intensity and kinetic energy of the output beam of this atom laser are controlled by a weak rf-field that induces spin flips between trapped and untrapped states. Furthermore, the output coupler is used to perform a spectroscopic measurement of the condensate, which reveals the spatial distribution of the magnetically trapped condensate and allows manipulation of the condensate on a micrometer scale.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

On the transverse mode of an atom laser

The transverse mode of an atom laser beam that is outcoupled from a Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated and is found to be strongly determined by the mean--field interaction of the laser beam with the condensate. Since for repulsive interactions the geometry of the coupling scheme resembles an interferometer in momentum space, the beam is found show filamentation. Observation of this effect would prove the transverse coherence of an atom laser beam.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Observation of Non-Exponential Orbital Electron Capture Decays of Hydrogen-Like 140^{140}Pr and 142^{142}Pm Ions

We report on time-modulated two-body weak decays observed in the orbital electron capture of hydrogen-like $^{140}$Pr$^{59+}$ and $^{142}$Pm$^{60+}$ ions coasting in an ion storage ring. Using non-destructive single ion, time-resolved Schottky mass spectrometry we found that the expected exponential decay is modulated in time with a modulation period of about 7 seconds for both systems. Tentatively this observation is attributed to the coherent superposition of finite mass eigenstates of the electron neutrinos from the weak decay into a two-body final state.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Isospin Dependence in the Odd-Even Staggering of Nuclear Binding Energies

The FRS-ESR facility at GSI provides unique conditions for precision measurements of large areas on the nuclear mass surface in a single experiment. Values for masses of 604 neutron-deficient nuclides (30<=Z<=92) were obtained with a typical uncertainty of 30 microunits. The masses of 114 nuclides were determined for the first time. The odd-even staggering (OES) of nuclear masses was systematically investigated for isotopic chains between the proton shell closures at Z=50 and Z=82. The results were compared with predictions of modern nuclear models. The comparison revealed that the measured trend of OES is not reproduced by the theories fitted to masses only. The spectral pairing gaps extracted from models adjusted to both masses, and density related observables of nuclei agree better with the experimental data.Comment: Physics Review Letters 95 (2005) 042501 http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v95/e04250

Beam test results of silicon sensor module prototypes for the Phase-2 Upgrade of the CMS Outer Tracker

The start of the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) in 2027 requires upgrades to the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment. In the scope of the upgrade program the complete silicon tracking detector will be replaced. The new CMS Tracker will be equipped with silicon pixel detectors in the inner layers closest to the interaction point and silicon strip detectors in the outer layers. The new CMS Outer Tracker will consist of two different kinds of detector modules called PS and 2S modules. Each module will be made of two parallel silicon sensors (a macro-pixel sensor and a strip sensor for the PS modules and two strip sensors for the 2S modules). Combining the hit information of both sensor layers it is possible to estimate the transverse momentum of particles in the magnetic field of 3.8 T at the full bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz directly on the module. This information will be used as an input for the first trigger stage of CMS. It is necessary to validate the Outer Tracker module functionality before installing the modules in the CMS experiment. Besides laboratory-based tests several 2S module prototypes have been studied at test beam facilities at CERN, DESY and FNAL. This article concentrates on the beam tests at DESY during which the functionality of the module concept was investigated using the full final readout chain for the first time. Additionally the performance of a 2S module assembled with irradiated sensors was studied. By choosing an irradiation fluence expected for 2S modules at the end of HL-LHC operation, it was possible to investigate the particle detection efficiency and study the trigger capabilities of the module at the beginning and end of runtime of the CMS experiment.The start of the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) in 2027 requires upgrades to the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment. In the scope of the upgrade program the complete silicon tracking detector will be replaced. The new CMS Tracker will be equipped with silicon pixel detectors in the inner layers closest to the interaction point and silicon strip detectors in the outer layers. The new CMS Outer Tracker will consist of two different kinds of detector modules called PS and 2S modules. Each module will be made of two parallel silicon sensors (a macro-pixel sensor and a strip sensor for the PS modules and two strip sensors for the 2S modules). Combining the hit information of both sensor layers, it is possible to estimate the transverse momentum of particles in the magnetic field of 3.8 T at the full bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz directly on the module. This information will be used as an input for the first trigger stage of CMS. It is necessary to validate the Outer Tracker module functionality before installing the modules in the CMS experiment. Besides laboratory-based tests several 2S module prototypes have been studied at test beam facilities at CERN, DESY and FNAL. This article concentrates on the beam tests at DESY during which the functionality of the module concept was investigated using the full final readout chain for the first time. Additionally the performance of a 2S module assembled with irradiated sensors was studied. By choosing an irradiation fluence expected for 2S modules at the end of HL-LHC operation, it was possible to investigate the particle detection efficiency and study the trigger capabilities of the module at the beginning and end of the runtime of the CMS experiment

Nuclear Physics Experiments with Ion Storage Rings

In the last two decades a number of nuclear structure and astrophysics experiments were performed at heavy-ion storage rings employing unique experimental conditions offered by such machines. Furthermore, building on the experience gained at the two facilities presently in operation, several new storage ring projects were launched worldwide. This contribution is intended to provide a brief review of the fast growing field of nuclear structure and astrophysics research at storage rings.Comment: XVIth International Conference on Electro-Magnetic Isotope Separators and Techniques Related to their Applications, December 2--7, 2012 at Matsue, Japa