Jul 26–31, 2026
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In-source laser spectroscopy of ground- and isomeric states of neutron-rich polonium with LIST

Jul 28, 2026, 6:48 p.m.
1m
Fletcher Challenge Canada (Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre)

Fletcher Challenge Canada

Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre

515 West Hastings St, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5K3
Posters Poster Session

Speaker

Julius Wessolek (TRIUMF)

Description

The Isotope Separator On Line DEvice (ISOLDE) is a facility for the production and study of radioactive ion beams at CERN. The Laser Ion Source and Trap (LIST) of the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) enables access to isotopes that otherwise suffer from strong isobaric contamination [1,2].
We report the continued study of neutron-rich polonium ($Z=84$) isotopes through in-source laser spectroscopy with LIST, where improved suppression of isobaric francium contamination enabled extension of measurements up to $^\text{220}\text{Po}$. Alpha-decay spectra were recorded with the ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS) with sufficient resolution to distinguish between polonium ground and isomeric states as well as isobaric contaminants.
From isotope shifts and hyperfine structure in atomic transitions, the changes in mean-squared charge radii $\langle r^2 \rangle$ and the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments of $^{219,220}\text{Po}$ ground states and the high-spin isomers $^{\text{211m,212m}}\text{Po}$ were extracted for the first time. For $^\text{204,206-211,217,218}\text{Po}$, the obtained values agree with literature [2-6]. Comparison to single-particle and empirical moments calculated with the additivity relation suggests a marked difference in $\nu1i_{11/2}$ occupation between the isomeric and ground states of $^{211,212}\text{Po}$. According to several DFT calculations [7,8], occupation of this orbital determines the kink in the $\langle r^2 \rangle$ at $N=126$.
The LIST furthermore enabled the first detailed spectroscopy of $^{219,220}\text{Po}$ with IDS and the Alpha SETup (ASET), and a summary will be presented.

[1] D. Fink et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 344, 83 (2015)
[2] D. A. Fink et al., Phys. Rev. X 5, 011 018 (2015)
[3] D. Kowalewska et al., Nucl. Shapes Struct. Low Excit. Energies, 93 (1992)
[4] M. Seliverstov et al., Phys. Lett. B 719, 362 (2013)
[5] T. E. Cocolios et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 052 503 (2011)
[6] M. Seliverstov et al., Phys. Rev. C 89, 034 323 (2014)
[7] P. M. Goddard et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 032 503 (2013)
[8] U. C. Perera and A. V. Afanasjev, Phys. Rev. C 107, 064 321 (2023)

Authors

Julius Wessolek (TRIUMF) Jack Shaw (KU Leuven)

Co-author

The IDS RILIS In-Source Collaboration

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