The study of ground state properties of neutron-rich fission fragments using laser spectroscopy

A new technique of collinear resonance ionisation spectroscopy (CRIS) has been developed at ISOLDE where ultra-high sensitivity is achieved by the use of the ISCOOL ion buncher to synchronize the arrival of the bunched ions with a pulsed laser system (30 Hz) within an interaction region of the beam-line maintained at ultra-high vacuum. This technique ensures high spatial and temporal overlap of the pulsed laser beams with the isotope sample, even with low repetition rate lasers. The laser resonances are located by monitoring the laser produced ion counting rate using multichannel plates with high quantum efficiency. Experiments are planned for Cu and Ga isotopes even further from stability and into the r-process pathway