Diploma, master and bachelor theses

Thesis at TRIGA-TRAP at the Research Reactor of University Mainz

At the Research Reactor TRIGA Mainz  a Penning trap mass spectrometer for the mass determination of heavy and neutron-rich nuclides has been set up (see photo). The masses of the elements between uranium and californium will be determined in first measurements at the end of the year 2008. Furthermore the facility allows tests of new detection methods e.g. the so called narrow-band FT-ICR method. Here a single ion in the trap can be detected by the image current it induces in the trap electrodes. The processes and systems, that are tested at TRIGA-TRAP, will subsequently be applied e.g. at SHIPTRAP  (GSI, Darmstadt) for the mass determination on superheavy elements.

The Penning trap setup will also be connected to the Research Reactor TRIGA in order to be also able to ionize and store the fission products, that have been produced by thermical neutrons.

The following techniques and processes are basically applied at TRIGA-TRAP:

• Production of heavy ions by laser ion source
• Ion transport, capture and ejection out of Penning traps
• Detection of single ions in the trap
• Signal processing electronics (amplifiers, filters)
• Low temperature technique (77K, 4K)
• Vacuum technique
• Superconducting magnets
• Computer control of the experimental process (LabView)