Precision Mass Measurements at THe-Trap and the FSU trap

Abstract

THe-Trap is a Penning-trap mass spectrometer at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, that aims to measure the T/3He mass ratio with a relative uncertainty of 10^(−11). Improvements of the measurement technique, in particular the measurement of systematic shifts, enabled measurements of mass ratios with relative uncertainties of 7*10^(−11), as demonstrated by a cyclotron frequency ratio determination on 12C4+/16O5+. This uncertainty was limited by the lineshape. An improved theoretical model based on a rotating wave approximation can be used to describe dynamical interactions between the detection system and the ion, in order to better understand the lineshape and to further reduce the uncertainty. The Florida State University trap is a Penning-trap mass spectrometer located in Tallahassee, Florida (USA). In the context of this thesis, three mass ratios were measured, and further 20 mass ratio measurements analyzed, which resulted in the publication of the masses of 82,83Kr, 131,134Xe, 86−88Sr, and 170−174,176Yb with relative uncertainties between (0.9 - 1.3)*10^(−10). These masses serve as reference masses for other experiments and have applications in the determination of the fine-structure constant alpha via the photon-recoil method.