[en] An overview is given on the application of lasers in nuclear physics. The review focuses on atomic physics techniques for extracting nuclear properties such as the nuclear spin, the magnetic dipole moment, the spectroscopic quadrupole moment, and changes in charge radii. References are given for the work carried out in this field since 1988. At that time, E.W. Otten prepared an extensive review with a complete compilation of data on properties of nuclear ground and isomeric states, obtained by optical spectroscopy on unstable nuclei

No abstract available

[en] The binding energy especially of s-electrons are affected by the finite nuclear size. Isotope shift measurements of electronic transitions provide therefore information about the nuclear charge radius. The sensitivity of the S_1/2→P_1/2 (D1) and the S_1/2 → P_3/2 (D2) transitions in earth alkaline ions to this finite nuclear size effect should be identical apart from a small relativistic contribution, which can be explained with the relativistic admixture of the S_1/2 wave function to the P_1/2 configuration and has been measured for the first time by K. Wendt et al. in Ba⁺. Recent measurements of this effect in Ca⁺ ions have revealed a considerable discrepancy to theoretical predictions. To check whether such a discrepancy is also apparent in the Ba⁺ system, measurements of higher accuracy are required. Therefore, the absolute transition frequencies in several stable barium isotopes have been measured with a collinear/anti-collinear laser spectroscopy approach.

[en] We describe a laser spectroscopy station that has been proposed to exploit the high yields of radioactive beams at the future FAIR facility at GSI, Darmstadt. Exotic nuclei produced in the Super-Fragment-Recoil-Separator (S-FRS) are stopped in a gas cell, extracted, reaccelerated and transported to the LaSpec setup. Here, collinear spectroscopy on ions and atoms, β-NMR experiments or laser-desorbed resonance ionization can be applied to these rare isotopes.

[en] Whenever beams of charged particles are involved in a nuclear physics experiment, also high voltages are involved. In some cases the limited accuracy of high voltage measurements directly spoils the relevance of experimental data. Measuring high voltages with the best-possible accuracy is therefore essential. Collinear laser spectroscopy has become a standard technique for the determination of nuclear charge radii, spins, and magnetic moments. While this technique involves the Doppler shift of the incident laser frequency in the ion's rest frame it is sensitive to the ion velocity and hence, the high voltage applied to accelerate the ions. We want to make use of this feature by determining the high voltage with very high accuracy employing a well-known atomic system and a pump/probe scheme. Accuracies of the order of 1 ppm are feasible. We present the current status of the setup and the results of test measurements with Ca"+ ions.

No abstract available

[en] Sympathetic cooling by laser cooled Mg ions has been proposed as a method for fast cooling of highly charged ions to a very low temperature. The paper describes the construction of the solid state laser system at 279.63 nm required for laser cooling of the Mg ions. The laser system is composed of a fiber laser at 1,118.54 nm and two successive second harmonic generation (SHG) ring cavities for frequency quadrupling. In the first SHG cavity, non-critical phase matching of a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal is used for doubling from 1,118.54 to 559.27 nm. The second SHG cavity uses critical phase matching of a β-barium borate (BBO) crystal for doubling from 559.27 to 279.63 nm. With the aid of Boyd-Kleinmann theory, optimum experimental parameters are calculated and used for an efficient SHG. Besides this, the paper intends to be a shortcut for practical applications of the Boyd-Kleinmann theory for SHG.

[en] Resonance ionization mass spectrometry has been explored in respect to its capabilities for isobaric suppression, isotopic selectivity, and overall efficiency. Theoretical calculations within the density matrix formalism on coherent multi-step excitation processes predict high specifications, which have been confirmed by spectroscopic measurements in Ca and which make the technique attractive for ultratrace detection. Analytical applications are found in the determination of the ultratrace isotope ⁴¹Ca for cosmochemical, radiodating, and medical applications

No abstract available

[en] Collinear laser spectroscopy (CLS) provides the opportunity to extract nuclear charge radii and magnetic dipole as well as electric quadrupole moments in a nuclear-model independent way. CLS utilizes the reduction of velocity spread via acceleration with a DC high-voltage potential of typically a few 10 kV. The isotopes of interest have to exhibit electronic transitions which are accessible with laser systems and sensitive to changes of nuclear charge radii. If these are not available from the ionic ground state, charge exchange can provide access to suitable atomic transitions. We present an updated design of a charge exchange cell for CLS, that can hold acceleration potentials up to 30 kV and operate at temperatures above 430 C to allow for charge exchange with magnesium vapor. The cell is developed in Darmstadt and will be used at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), where the CAlifornium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade (CARIBU) opens up new possibilities for in-flight laser spectroscopy of short lived isotopes, especially in the region beyond the sudden deformation at N=60 and Z>38.