Experimental Manipulation of a Non-Neutral Ion Plasma Using FT-ICR Techniques

POSTER

Abstract

The goal of our project is to experimentally determine the half life of beryllium-7. We plan to do this by singly ionizing beryllium atoms and containing them in a non-neutral plasma state as they decay. In order to correctly make this measurement, however, we need a clean plasma of high density containing solely Be-7 atoms. Due to the variable amounts of impurities in the Be-7 samples produced in our lab, it is necessary to implement the technique of Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FT-ICR). By exciting the cyclotron radius of these particles trapped in a magnetic field we seek to expel these impurities from the plasma, leaving pure Be-7. Also, a technique has been developed for successfully stacking multiple pulses of plasma inside of our Malmberg-Penning trap. Recent changes in the internal structure of trap confinement rings will grant us greater efficiency in the use of these techniques.

Authors

  • Chad Williams

    Brigham Young University

  • Andrew Polemi

    Utah State University, Brigham Young University, University of Pennsylvania, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, High Altitude Observatory, University of Colorado at Boulder, Massachutes Institute of Technology, Utah Valley University, University of New Hampshire, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, University of Montana, Southwest Research Institute, University of Southern California, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SciPrint.org, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Colorado State University, V. Alecsandri College, Bacau, Romania, Colorado School of Mines, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Utah State University, Department of Physics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Brigham Young University - Idaho, University of Arizona, Florida State University, Weber State University, Brigham Young University - Provo, New Mexico State University, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523