Precision experiments with ions for fundamental research

by Dr Susanne Kreim (CERN / MPIK Heidelberg)

Thursday 12 Dec 2013, 16:00 → 16:30 Europe/Berlin

Seminar room K017 (Universe)

Kurzvortrag im Rahmen einer Berufung Intriguing questions of physics can be addressed by studying ions, from a single proton to the heaviest elements. Topics range from basic properties of particles and their structural evolution to nuclear astrophysics and the creation of elements. Their investigation often requires measuring short-lived species far from the valley of ß-stability: exotic nuclei. Complementary observables are available to ameliorate our understanding of exotic nuclei, the mass being the most fundamental property. Together with the known mass of the individual constituents of the nucleus, mass delivers binding energy which in turn reflects all underlying interactions. In many cases, only precision measurements deliver the desired insight. Atomic-physics techniques constitute versatile tools for storing and manipulating charged particles. Penning traps provide an isolated environment for spectroscopy on single or few particles using different detection techniques. The Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN for example has studied nuclides with half-lives below 50ms and production yields less than 100 ions per second reaching relative uncertainties on the order of 10-8. It will be discussed how these tools are utilized to examine dedicated topics of atomic, nuclear and astrophysics.