Published December 2021 | Version v1
Journal article

Commissioning and performance of TITAN's Multiple-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass-Spectrometer and isobar separator

  • 1. Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, The University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FD Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
  • 2. TRIUMF, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 2A3 (Canada)
  • 3. II. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universität, 35392 Gießen (Germany)
  • 4. GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany)
  • 5. Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1 (Canada)

Description

TRIUMF's Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear science (TITAN) has specialized in fast Penning Trap mass spectrometry of very short-lived radioactive isotopes. The facility has been upgraded with a Multiple-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS) to continue its quest towards more exotic nuclides, which are critical for our understanding of nuclear structure effects far from the valley of beta stability and for the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in explosive astrophysical environments. In this publication, we discuss the implementation, operation and performance of TITAN's MR-TOF-MS as a stand-alone high-precision mass spectrometer and as an isobar separator. By using the novel mass-selective re-trapping technique for the isobar separation, the MR-TOF-MS can consecutively perform separation and mass measurement of the same ion population, acting as its own isobar separator. The device boosts the dynamic range and reach of the TITAN facility by several orders of magnitude. The MR-TOF-MS reaches a high mass resolving power (m/Δm400000), high precision and mass accuracy (δm/m<107), is fast (common cycle time 20ms), shows high sensitivity and very large dynamic range (ion of interest to contaminant ratios of up to 1 to 106).

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165823

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.nima.2021.165823;
PII
S0168900221008081;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Journal Volume
1018
Journal Page Range
vp.
ISSN
0168-9002
CODEN
NIMAER

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.