TRIGA-SPEC: A setup for mass spectrometry and laser spectroscopy at the research reactor TRIGA Mainz

TL;DR

TRIGA-SPEC is a new experimental setup at the TRIGA Mainz research reactor designed for high-sensitivity mass spectrometry and laser spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclides, enabling studies on both fission products and heavy nuclides for nuclear and astrophysical research.

Contribution

It introduces a novel setup combining a Penning trap and collinear laser spectroscopy at TRIGA Mainz, with new developments for single-ion sensitivity and off-line heavy nuclide investigation.

Findings

High sensitivity mass measurements on single ions.

First-time laser spectroscopy of heavy nuclides like 235-U and 252-Cf.

Data relevant for astrophysics and nuclear models.

Abstract

The research reactor TRIGA Mainz is an ideal facility to provide neutron-rich nuclides with production rates sufficiently large for mass spectrometric and laser spectroscopic studies. Within the TRIGA-SPEC project, a Penning trap as well as a beam line for collinear laser spectroscopy are being installed. Several new developments will ensure high sensitivity of the trap setup enabling mass measurements even on a single ion. Besides neutron-rich fission products produced in the reactor, also heavy nuclides such as 235-U or 252-Cf can be investigated for the first time with an off-line ion source. The data provided by the mass measurements will be of interest for astrophysical calculations on the rapid neutron-capture process as well as for tests of mass models in the heavy-mass region. The laser spectroscopic measurements will yield model-independent information on nuclear ground-state properties such as nuclear moments and charge radii of neutron-rich nuclei of refractory elements far from stability. This publication describes the experimental setup as well as its present status.