Experiments with stored and cooled ions

Gallery

Here you can find illustrated lectures and annotated images. Please click on the preview images to obtain the big versions.

Eine Waage für einzelne Atome
(pdf, 2.08MB)

Lecture of Jens Ketelaer in the context of the series "Wissenschaft für Alle" at GSI Darmstadt, Germany

Inaugural lecture of K. Blaum (pdf, 4.19MB)

Encryption procedures and how they can be cracked

The lecture describes the long history and progress of encryption and decryption, beginning with cipher discs, followed by mechanical rotor encoding machines (e.g. the famous Enigma) and the computer based encoding techniques and finally the highly topical quantum cryptology

Habilitation lecture of K. Blaum (pdf, 2.32MB)

The unconstant decay constant

Already in 1947 E. Segre showed, that the decay rate of electron capture depends on the density of the shell electrons inside the nucleus. Recent research is interested in the dependence of the beta decay rate of 7Be on the environment

Weight problems of physical kind (pdf, 8.43MB)

From the Ur-kilogram to high-precision mass measurements

For a long time physicists are trying to bind basic physical quantities, e.g. time, length and mass, with the properties of atoms and the speed of light. In the case of time and length they have succeeded but concerning the kilogram they had no success yet

From the Ur-kilogram to high-precision mass measurements
(pdf, 5.69MB)

Lecture in the context of the study group "Physics at school and university"

Welcome to CERN
(pdf, 3.43MB)

Lecture at CERN in the context of the visit of pupils of the Emanuel-Felke-Gymnasium

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Interesting images concerning both lectures

The kilogram is the last of seven basic units, which is not attributed to a phenomena. It is defined by a prototype.

The international prototype of the kilogram

• Cylinder with 39mm height and 39mm diameter
• Alloy of 90% platinum and 10% iridium
• Location: International Office for measures and weights in Sèvres next to Paris

National prototype of the kilogram No. 52 of the Federal Republic of Germany

• 1:1 Copy of the international prototype of the kilogram
• Stored (at PTB) under normal conditions
• Comparison with the original in Sèvres every 10 years

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The most precise massmeasurements world-wide are all performed with Penning traps, e.g. with ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE at CERN/Geneva.
		The ISOLDE experimental hall with different experimental facilities (note: ISOLTRAP is not visible on this image)
		The ISOLTRAP experimental setup ISOLTRAP (a precision trap at Isotope Separator On Line) is visible in the center of the image above the scale (esp. the vessel with liquid nitrogen and helium for cooling the magnet coils)
		The ISOLDE target A radioactive ion beam is produced by proton bombardment and directed to the ISOLTRAP experiment. Target before the proton bombardment.
		Target after the proton bombardment (on top with scale)
		The ISOLTRAP experiment A Penning trap is used as high-precision mass spectrometer for extremely short-lived (range of milliseconds) radionuclides. Penning trap mounted in the setup (with scale).
		Penning trap with size comparison (visible are among others the copper electrodes).

All pictures are summarized in a slide show (requires JavaScript):
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Interesting images concerning the MATS experiments

Determination of the g-Factor of the Proton:

		Proton trap The Proton trap is a double Penning trap, which consists of a precision trap for trapping of a single free proton and an analysis trap for checking the efficiency of the spin transition after an external excitation at the Larmor frequency. The figure shows the completed setup of the vacuum chamber.
		Trap tower with analysis and precision trap

		Capacity measurement
		4 Kelvin Pulse Tube Cryostat The trap region and the detection electronics of the g-Factor Proton Experiment are cooled at 4 Kelvin. The low temperature is provided by a Pulse Tube Cryostat. This cooler is pumped with a closed helium circuit and the working fluid passes through periodic pressure variations.

Determination of the g-Factor of the bound Electron in hydrogen-like Calcium:

		Calcium g-factor trap setup Pictures of the successful calcium g-factor trap setup. Critical steps were e.g. the pinch-off (the vacuum chamber is completely sealed and no longer depends on pumps), the insertion and fixation of the setup to the 20K shield and of both, in turn, into the magnet bore.
		Novel double Penning trap By the bombardment of calcium atoms with a high-energetic electron-beam the highly-charged hydrogen-like ions (40Ca19+) are produced and then stored inside the trap. Subsequently the g-factor is determined on a single isolated ion.

The SHIPTRAP experiment at the velocity filter SHIP at GSI/Darmstadt -
Application of the FT-ICR technique for frequency determination of radio-nuclides:

		(SHIPTRAP) cryogenic Penning trap setup The setup consists of an horizontal trap vacuum chamber cooled by a liquid nitrogen flow and a liquid helium dewar which will house a superconducting inductivity for sensitive ion detection with the FT-ICR technique. The trap system consists of a purification trap for the removal of isobaric contaminants and a measurement trap for the frequency determination of stored ions.
		Gold-plated cryogenic Penning traps Combination of all individual trap pieces. Both traps were developed and constructed for the purpose of precise mass determination of stored radionuclides at SHIPTRAP/ GSI. Here, the transuranium nuclides aimed at in particular (with their extremely low production rates), require a technique that is sensitive to single ions.
		7-pole cylindrical purification trap for isobaric cleaning
		Hyperbolically shaped measurement trap with a 4-fold segmented ring electrode (2 x 140° / 2 x 40°)