Development of the collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy beamline at MIT

Development of the collinear resonance ionization beamline at MIT

Investigating the properties of atomic nuclei through measuring their influence upon bound electrons is a powerful and well-established approach in modern nuclear physics [Yan23]. By measuring the hyperfine structure and isotope shift in the atomic structure of radioactive nuclei, nuclear spins, magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments and changes in mean-square charge radii can be determined in a nuclear model-independent manner. These observables offer critical and complementary insights into the single-particle structure and collective behavior of the ground- and isomeric states of atomic nuclei, enabling state-of-the-art models of nuclear theory to be tested.

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a newly operational next-generation facility which will provide researchers with unprecedented access to short-lived isotopes. A new laser spectroscopy experiment, the Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy Experiment (RISE), was installed at FRIB to maximize the scientific opportunities available and recently completed a successful campaign studying neutron-deficient aluminum isotopes all the way to the proton dripline.

This contribution will outline the design, construction and commissioning of a sister laser spectroscopy beamline at the Exotic Molecules and Atoms Laboratory at MIT which is being used as a development hub to support experiments on short-lived atoms and molecules at FRIB.

[Yan23] Yang, X. et al., PPNP 129, 104005 (2023)