[en] We report on the development and characterization of the first radioactive boron beams produced by the isotope mass separation online (ISOL) technique at CERN-ISOLDE. Despite the long history of the ISOL technique which exploits thick targets, boron beams have up to now not been available. This is due to the low volatility of elemental boron and its high chemical reactivity which make the definition of an appropriate production target unit difficult. In addition, the short half-lives of all boron radioisotopes complicate tracer release studies. We report here on dedicated offline release studies by neutron capture and alpha detection done with implanted ${}^{10}$B in prospective target materials, as well as molecule formation and ionization tests, which suggested the use of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) as target material and injection of sulfur hexafluoride SF${}_6$ to promote volatile boron fluoride formation. Two target units equipped with an arc discharge electron impact ion source VADIS coupled to a water cooled transfer line to retain non-volatile elements and molecules were subsequently tested online. The measured yield of these first ${}^8$B ISOL beams increases in the series ${}^8$BF${}_3$ < ${}^8$BF < ${}^8$B < ${}^8$BF${}_2$, reaching a maximum yield of 6.4 × 10${}^4$ ${}^8$BF${}_2$${}^{+}$ ions per μC of protons.

[en] The improvement in the performance of a conventional laser ion source in the laser ion source and trap (LIST) project is presented, which envisages installation of a repeller electrode and a linear Paul trap/ion guide structure. This approach promises highest isobaric purity and optimum temporal and spatial control of the radioactive ion beam produced at an online isotope separator facility. The functionality of the LIST was explored at the offline test separators of University of Mainz (UMz) and ISOLDE/CERN, using the UMz solid state laser system. Ionization efficiency and selectivity as well as time structure and transversal emittance of the produced ion beam was determined. Next step after complete characterization is the construction and installation of the radiation-hard final trap structure and its first online application.

[en] Many elements are rapidly released from oxide matrices. Some oxide powder targets show a fast sintering, thus losing their favorable release characteristics. Loosely packed oxide fiber targets are less critical since they may maintain their open structure even when starting to fuse together at some contact points. The experience with various oxide fiber targets (titania, zirconia, ceria and thoria) used in the last years at ISOLDE is reviewed. For short-lived isotopes of Cu, Ga and Xe the zirconia and ceria targets respectively provided significantly higher yields than any other target (metal foils, oxide powders, etc.) tested before. Titania fibers, which were not commercially available, were produced in a relic process by impregnation of a rayon felt in a titanium chloride solution and subsequent calcination by heating the dried felt in air. Thoria fibers were obtained either by the same process or by burning commercial gas lantern mantle cloth. In the future a beryllia fiber target could be used to produce very intense ⁶He beams (order of 10¹³ ions per second) via the ⁹Be(n,α) reaction using spallation neutrons

[en] We present results from the development towards the Time-of-Flight Laser Ion Source (ToF-LIS) aiming for the suppression of isobaric contaminants through fast beam gating. The capability to characterize high resistance ion sources has been successfully demonstrated. A ninefold selectivity gain has been achieved through suppression of surface ionized potassium, while maintaining >90% transmission for laser-ionized gallium using a thin wall graphite ionizer cavity combined with a fast beam gate. Initial results from the investigation of glassy carbon as a potential hot cavity ion source are presented. Power-cycle tests of a newly designed mount for fragile ion source cavities indicates its capability to survive the thermal stress expected during operation in an ISOLDE target unit. Finally, we introduce fast ion beam switching at a rate of 10 kHz using the ISOLDE ion beam switchyard as a new concept for ion beam distribution and conclude by highlighting the potential applications of this ion beam multiplexing technique.

[en] The selectivity of a hot cavity resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS) is most often limited by contributions from competing surface ionization of the hot walls of the ionization cavity. In this article we present investigations on the properties of designated high temperature, low work function materials regarding their performance and suitability as cavity material for RILIS. Tungsten test cavities, impregnated with a mixture of barium oxide and strontium oxide (BaOSrO on W), or alternatively gadolinium hexaboride (GdB₆) were studied in comparison to a standard tungsten RILIS cavity as being routinely used for hot cavity laser ionization at ISOLDE. Measurement campaigns took place at the off-line mass separators at ISOLDE/CERN, Geneva and RISIKO/University of Mainz.

[en] Highlights: • The Laser Ion Source and Trap (LIST) was successfully operated on-line at ISOLDE. • LIST showed no signs of degradation after 48 h of intense proton irradiation. • Transmission, selectivity, efficiency, time structure were extensively characterized. • Suppression factor for surface-ionized isobaric contaminants is more than 10³–10⁴. • Loss in LIST efficiency compared to RILIS operation is only a factor of 20. - Abstract: At radioactive ion beam facilities like ISOLDE at CERN, a high purity of the element of interest in the ion beam is essential for most experiments on exotic nuclei. Due to its unique combination of high ionization efficiency and ultimate elemental selectivity, the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source, RILIS, has become the most frequently used ion source at ISOLDE and at the majority of similar facilities worldwide. However, isobaric contamination predominantly stemming from unspecific surface ionization may still introduce severe limitations. By applying the highly selective resonance ionization technique inside a radio-frequency quadrupole ion guide structure, the novel approach of the Laser Ion Source and Trap, LIST, suppresses surface ionized isobaric contaminants by an electrostatic repelling potential. Following extensive feasibility studies and off-line tests, the LIST device has been adapted and refined to match the stringent operational constraints and to survive the hostile environment of the ISOLDE front-end region enclosing the highly radioactive nuclear reaction target. The LIST operation was successfully demonstrated for the first time on-line at ISOLDE during two experiments, attesting its suitability for radioactive isotope production under routine conditions. Data of these on-line characterization measurements confirm a suppression of surface-ionized isobars by more than a factor of 1000 in accordance to off-line studies that were carried out for the preparation of the on-line experiments. During the first on-line test, the suppression was associated with an efficiency loss of not more than a factor of about 50 with respect to normal RILIS operation. These losses could be further reduced to only about 20 during the second run. Results of the off-line studies in comparison to the first on-line characterization data are discussed here

[en] For the first time, the laser resonance photo-ionization technique has been applied inside a FEBIAD-type ion source at an ISOL facility. This was achieved by combining the ISOLDE RILIS with the ISOLDE variant of the FEBIAD ion source (the VADIS) in a series of off-line and on-line tests at CERN. The immediate applications of these developments include the coupling of the RILIS with molten targets at ISOLDE and the introduction of two new modes of FEBIAD operation: an element selective RILIS mode and a RILIS + VADIS mode for increased efficiency compared to VADIS mode operation alone. This functionality has been demonstrated off-line for gallium and barium and on-line for mercury and cadmium. Following this work, the RILIS mode of operation was successfully applied on-line for the study of nuclear ground state and isomer properties of mercury isotopes by in-source resonance ionization laser spectroscopy. The results from the first studies of the new operational modes, of what has been termed the Versatile Arc Discharge and Laser Ion Source (VADLIS), are presented and possible directions for future developments are outlined.

[en] The suppression of isobaric contaminations is of growing importance for many scientific programs using radioactive isotopes produced at isotope separation on-line (ISOL) facilities, such as ISOLDE-CERN. A solid tungsten proton-to-neutron converter has been used for ten years to produce neutron-rich fission fragments from an UC_x target while suppressing the production of neutron-deficient isobaric contaminants. The remaining contamination is mainly produced by primary protons that are scattered by the heavy neutron converter and finally impinge on the UC_x target itself. Therefore, the knowledge of the energy-dependant cross-sections of proton and neutron induced fission events is crucial in order to evaluate future converter concepts. In this paper, an improved neutron converter prototype design is presented together with the experimentally assessed radioisotope production of Rb, Zn, Cu, Ga and In that validate the converter concept aiming at beams of higher purity neutron-rich isotopes. The experimentally derived release efficiencies for isotopes produced by the 1.4 GeV protons available at ISOLDE are used to evaluate the Monte Carlo code FLUKA and the cross-section codes TALYS and ABRABLA, respectively