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This thesis describes experiments with clusters stored in an electrostatic ion trap called Multi-reflection time-of-flight (MR-ToF) analyzer. These devices are established as mass separators and analyzers with high resolving powers and fast processing times. The objective was to characterize an experiment that utilizes such analyzer for cluster research, to this end a laser-ablation ion source was combined with an MR-ToF analyzer.
In the first part, an experiment scheme that combines two operating modes, namely in-trap lift operation and mirror operation, is presented and characterized for the present setup. For ion capture in-trap lift switching was employed and exit-side mirror switching for ejection with higher information content. Measurements were performed with small lead clusters to illustrate individual advantages of both techniques and the gain of combining them with focus on the ions’ ToF ejection window.
In the second part, a recently introduced method of ion separation by transversal ejection of unwanted species inside the trap was studied for the present setup. The ejection is performed by appropriate pulses of the potentials of deflector electrodes located in the trap. The various parameters affecting the selection effectivity and resolving power are illustrated with tin-cluster measurements, with resolving powers of up to several tens of thousands.
The third part presents the experiment in detail, with the construction of each component and measurements for its various performance parameters. Because the heart of the setup is the MR-ToF analyzer the characterization focuses on the trap. In addition, cluster ions were mass selected in the MR-ToF device and photodissociated. The charged fragments were stored and mass analyzed in a proof-of principle MS/MS experiment where both MS steps were performed in the MR-ToF operation mode.
This thesis describes mass measurements at ISOLTRAP/ISOLDE/CERN in the region of the neutron-rich calcium isotopes. For the less exotic and more abundantly produced isotopes 51Ca and 52Ca the Penning trap based ToF-ICR technique could be used to validate the available mass data and to improve their precision. For the isotopes 53Ca and 54Ca, a Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (MR-ToF MS) was used to determine the mass of these exotic isotopes for the first time experimentally. This also represents the first time an MR-ToF MS was applied to derive the masses of previously unknown radioactive ions from the high precision time-of-flight data that can be gathered with the device. The mass data was then used to benchmark the strength of the N=32 neutron subshell closure and at the same time to compare to state-of-the-art shell-model calculations.
Furthermore, the capability of the MR-ToF device to deliver isobarically pure beams to a subsequent experiment was developed further and studied in detail. The new technique is based on the in-trap lift, which is normally used to in- and eject ions into and from the device. With this new selective ejection technique after separation of the ion ensemble in the MR-ToF trap, no external components are required.
Additionally, a new stabilization system for voltages supplies, based on a PI-algorithm, was developed and thoroughly tested. The stabilized voltage supply was then used to supply the most sensitive mirror voltage of the MR-ToF MS to significantly increase the short term and long-term mass resolving power of the apparatus.