CERN Accelerating science

Thesis
Report number	CERN-THESIS-2009-186
Title	First Ramsey-type mass measurements with ISOLTRAP and design studies of the new PENTATRAP project
Author(s)	George, Sebastian (Mainz U., Inst. Phys.)
Publication	Mainz : Mainz U., Inst. Phys., 2009 - 132.
Thesis note	PhD : Mainz U., Inst. Phys. : 2009
Note	Presented 2009
Subject category	Nuclear Physics - Experiment
Accelerator/Facility, Experiment	CERN ISOLDE ; IS394
Abstract	The application of Penning traps for mass spectrometry has led to a major step in the mass precision. Consequently, atomic masses became more and more important as input parameters in different research fields. Penning trap mass spectrometry is based on the determination of the free cyclotron frequency $\nu _\textrm{c}$= qB/(2$\pi$m) of an ion confined in a homogeneous magnetic field B by applying a time-of-flight detection method (TOF-ICR). Thereby a relative mass uncertainty $\delta$m/m of a few parts in 10$^{-9}$ is achieved by the implementation of the Ramsey method in Penning trap mass spectrometry within this work, here the application of time-separated oscillatory fields for resonant ion motion excitation. The masses of the nuclides $^{26}$Al and $^{38}$Ca serve as input parameters for stringent tests of the Standard Model. To exploit precise mass values to test fundamental symmetries or to study quantum electrodynamics (QED) in extreme fields a new Penning trap project (PENTATRAP) for mass measurements on highly-charged ions has recently been started. The main contribution within this thesis was the design of the Penning traps. For the first time so called “monitor traps” has been developed in order to observe permanently the magnetic field B and its time-dependent fluctuations.

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