A new in-gas-laser ionization and spectroscopy laboratory for off-line studies at KU Leuven

The in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) technique is used to produce and to investigate short-lived radioactive isotopes at on-line ion beam facilities. In this technique, the nuclear reaction products recoiling out of a thin target are thermalized and neutralized in a high-pressure noble gas, resonantly ionized by the laser beams in a two-step process, and then extracted from the ion source to be finally accelerated and mass separated. Resonant ionization of radioactive species in the supersonic gas jet ensures very high spectral resolution because of essential reduction of broadening mechanisms. To obtain the maximum efficiency and the best spectral resolution, properties of the supersonic jet and the laser beams must be optimized. To perform these studies a new off-line IGLIS laboratory, including a new high-repetition-rate laser system and a dedicated off-line mass separator, has been commissioned. In this article, the specifications of the different components necessary to achieve optimum conditions in laser-spectroscopy studies of radioactive beams using IGLIS are discussed and the results of simulations are presented.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: A new in-gas-laser ionization and spectroscopy laboratory for off-line studies at KU Leuven journaltitle: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2016.02.040 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Developments towards in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy studies of actinium isotopes at LISOL

To study exotic nuclides at the borders of stability with laser ionization and spectroscopy techniques, highest efficiencies in combination with a high spectral resolution are required. These usually opposing requirements are reconciled by applying the in-gas-laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) technique in the supersonic gas jet produced by a de Laval nozzle installed at the exit of the stopping gas cell. Carrying out laser ionization in the low-temperature and low density supersonic gas jet eliminates pressure broadening, which will significantly improve the spectral resolution. This article presents the required modifications at the Leuven Isotope Separator On-Line (LISOL) facility that are needed for the first on-line studies of in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy. Different geometries for the gas outlet and extraction ion guides have been tested for their performance regarding the acceptance of laser ionized species as well as for their differential pumping capacities. The specifications and performance of the temporarily installed high repetition rate laser system, including a narrow bandwidth injection-locked Ti:sapphire laser, are discussed and first preliminary results on neutron-deficient actinium isotopes are presented indicating the high capability of this novel technique.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Developments towards in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy studies of actinium isotopes at LISOL journaltitle: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2015.12.014 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Towards high-resolution laser ionization spectroscopy of the heaviest elements in supersonic gas jet expansion

Resonant laser ionization and spectroscopy are widely used techniques at radioactive ion beam facilities to produce pure beams of exotic nuclei and measure the shape, size, spin and electromagnetic multipole moments of these nuclei. However, in such measurements it is difficult to combine a high efficiency with a high spectral resolution. Here we demonstrate the on-line application of atomic laser ionization spectroscopy in a supersonic gas jet, a technique suited for high-precision studies of the ground- and isomeric-state properties of nuclei located at the extremes of stability. The technique is characterized in a measurement on actinium isotopes around the N=126 neutron shell closure. A significant improvement in the spectral resolution by more than one order of magnitude is achieved in these experiments without loss in efficiency.status: publishe

In-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy of actinium isotopes near the N=126N=126 closed shell

The in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) technique was applied on the 212–215Ac isotopes, produced at the Leuven Isotope Separator On-Line (LISOL) facility by using the in-gas-cell and the in-gas-jet methods. The first application under on-line conditions of the in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy method showed a superior performance in terms of selectivity, spectral resolution, and efficiency in comparison with the in-gas-cell method. Following the analysis of both experiments, the magnetic-dipole moments for the 212–215Ac isotopes, electric-quadrupole moments and nuclear spins for the 214,215Ac isotopes are presented and discussed. A good agreement is obtained with large-scale nuclear shell-model calculations by using a 208Pb core.status: publishe