Studies of neutron-rich isotopes with the CPT mass spectrometer and the CARIBU project

Abstract

The heavy neutron-rich isotopes area is the least explored region of the nuclear landscape. Although sensitive techniques exist to gather the required information on these isotopes, they just have not been made available in sufficient quantity and with the right properties for many of the most basic studies. Recent measurements at the Canadian Penning trap (CPT) mass spectrometer, using isotopes produced from the fission of Cf 252 stopped in the CPT gas catcher system, have allowed the mass of a number of neutron-rich isotopes to be determined. This approach is being further pursued in the CARIBU project with the installation of a new dedicated heavily shielded source and gas catcher that will yield four orders of magnitude higher neutron-rich isotope yield at low energy for mass measurements and Coulomb barrier energy for nuclear structure studies.