Development and application of laser-based techniques at HITRAP, CRYRING, and ESR
Technische Universität Darmstadt
The groups from TU Darmstadt in cooperation with their partners from Dresden, Gießen, Jena and Münster develop laser-based techniques for fundamental research in atomic and nuclear physics, and technology for the preparation of stored highly charged ions at ESR, CRYRING@ESR and HITRAP. The fundamental theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) in extremely strong magnetic fields is tested in Bi82+ ions bei laser spectroscopy on relativistic beams of these ions inside the experimental storage ring ESR. The cooling trap of the HITRAP decelerator is developed to provide for the first time cooled and trapped heavy highly charged ions of this type for precision experiments. After transfer to the ARTEMIS ion trap, laser-RF double resonance spectroscopy can be carried out on these ions which provides much higher accuracy and will allow to determine the magnetic moment of 209Bi with unprecedented accuracy. Moreover, laser spectroscopy of Kr32+ ions in then ESR will provide a benchmark for the theoretical treatment of electron correlations. Finally, the application of optical pumping to provide polarized nuclei and ions - long established in gases and fast ion beams - is tested with Mg+ ions at CRYRING@ESR. If successful, this technique will enable a new class of experiments on parity violation in highly charged ions at storage rings.
