Laser ionization and penning trap mass spectrometry - A fruitful combination for isomer separation and high-precision mass measurements

摘要

We have demonstrated for the first time that element-selective laser ionization in combination with ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry can be used to prepare isomerically pure ion ensembles. Together with beta-gamma coincidence studies this method allowed a determination of the low-energy structure and the unambiguous identification of triple beta-decaying isomerism in Cu-70. By selective resonant ionization and measurement of the masses of these three states using ISOLTRAP at ISOLDE/CERN with a relative uncertainty of delta m/m approximate to 5.10(-8) a clear state-to-mass assignment was possible which resolved the assignment puzzle in Cu-70.