Search for efficient laser resonance ionization schemes of tantalum using a newly developed time-of-flight mass-spectrometer in KISS

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Vol. 376; pp. 73 - 76
• Main Authors: Mukai, M., Hirayama, Y., Ishiyama, H., Jung, H.S., Miyatake, H., Oyaizu, M., Watanabe, Y.X., Kimura, S., Ozawa, A., Jeong, S.C., Sonoda, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Chambers; Ionization; Isotope separation; Isotopes; Laser resonance ionization; Lasers; Mass-spectrometer; Resolution; Searching; Tantalum; Tantalum; Laser resonance ionization; Mass-spectrometer
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2016.02.017

The technique of laser resonance ionization is employed for an element-selective ionization of multi-nucleon transfer reaction products which are stopped and neutralized in a gas cell filled with argon gas at 50kPa. We have been searching for efficient laser ionization schemes for refractory elements of Z=73–78 using a time-of-flight mass-spectrometer (TOF-MS) chamber. To evaluate the isotope shift and ionization efficiency for each candidate of the ionization scheme, isotope separation using the TOF-MS was devised. The TOF-MS was designed to separate the isotopes using two-stage linear acceleration with a mass resolving power M/ΔM of >350. A mass resolving power of 250 was experimentally confirmed by measuring the TOF of laser-ionized tantalum (Z=73) ions with mass number 181. We searched for a laser resonance ionization scheme of tantalum using the TOF-MS.