ISOLDE

Most atomic nuclei contain protons and neutrons. The number of protons determines the chemical element the nucleus belongs to. Different isotopes of the same element have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, but contain the same number of protons. For example, isotopes of carbon include carbon-12, carbon-13, carbon-14, which contain 6, 7, 8 neutrons respectively, but all contain 6 protons. Each isotope of an element has a different nuclear energy state, and may have different stability.

File:NuclideMap stitched.png]]A nuclide is a more general term than isotope, and refers to atoms that have any particular number of protons and neutrons. Stable nuclides are not radioactive and do not spontaneously undergo radioactive decay, so are more usually found in nature.{{cite web |title=DOE explains ... Isotopes |url=https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsisotopes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414025223/https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsisotopes |archive-date=14 April 2022 |access-date=11 January 2023 |publisher=Department of Energy, United States}} Whereas unstable (i.e. radioactive) nuclides are not found in nature, unless there is a recent source of them, because they are shorter lived, and will spontaneously decay, in one or more steps, to more stable nuclides. For example, carbon-14 is unstable but is found in nature. Scientists use accelerators and nuclear reactors to produce radioactive nuclides. As a general trend, and among other factors, the neutron–proton ratio of a nuclide determines its stability. The value of this ratio for stable nuclides generally increases for larger nuclei with more protons and neutrons.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-18 |title=21.2: Patterns of Nuclear Stability |url=https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Map%3A_Chemistry_-_The_Central_Science_(Brown_et_al.)/21%3A_Nuclear_Chemistry/21.02%3A_Patterns_of_Nuclear_Stability |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Chemistry LibreTexts |language=en}} Many unstable nuclides have neutron-proton ratios beyond the zone of stability. The time required to lose half of a quantity of a given nuclide through radioactive decays, the half-life, is a measure of how stable an isotope is.{{cite journal |date=February 1967 |title=ISOLDE isotope separator on-line project |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1728851 |journal=CERN Courier |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=22–27 |access-date=26 August 2019}}

Nuclides can be visually represented on a table (Segré chart or table of nuclides) where the proton number is plotted against the neutron number.{{cite web |title=ISOLDE Exploring exotic nuclei |url=http://isolde.web.cern.ch/sites/isolde.web.cern.ch/files/ISOLDE_English-H_0.pdf |website=ISOLDE Web |publisher=CERN |access-date=27 August 2019}}

File:Isolde Excavation.jpg

In 1950, two Danish physicists Otto Kofoed-Hansen and Karl-Ove Nielsen discovered a new technique for producing radioisotopes which enabled production of isotopes with shorter half-lives than earlier methods.{{cite web |title=Kofoed-Hansen and Nielsen produce short-lived radioactive isotopes |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/kofoed-hansen-and-nielsen-produce-short-lived-radioactive-isotopes |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=8 August 2019}} The Copenhagen experiment they carried out included a simplified version of the same elements used in modern on-line experiments.{{cite book |last1=Krige |first1=John |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874589X96800511 |title=History of CERN, III: Vol 3 (History of Cern, Vol 3) |date=18 December 1996 |publisher=North Holland |isbn=0444896554 |pages=327–413 |access-date=9 August 2019}} Ten years later, in Vienna, at a symposium about separating radioisotopes, plans for an ‘on-line’ isotope separator were published. Using these plans, CERN's Nuclear Chemistry Group (NCG) built a prototype on-line mass separator coupled to target and ion source, which was bombarded by a 600 MeV proton beam delivered by CERN's the Synchro-Cyclotron. The test was a success and showed that the SC was an ideal machine for on-line rare isotope production.{{cite web |title=Plans for an isotope separator are published |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/plans-isotope-separator-are-published |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=8 August 2019}} The plan for an electromagnetic isotope separator was developed during 1963–4 by European nuclear physicists and, in late 1964, their proposal was accepted by the CERN Director-General and the ISOLDE project began.{{cite web |title=CERN approves the online separator project |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/cern-approves-online-separator-project |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=8 August 2019}}

File:ISOLDE_1968.jpg

The "Finance Committee" for the project set up originally with five members, then extended to twelve to include two members per 'country' (including CERN). As the term "Finance Committee" had other connotations, it was decided 'until a better name was found' to call the project ISOLDE and the committee the ISOLDE Committee. In 1965, as the underground hall at CERN was being excavated, the isotope separator for ISOLDE was being constructed in Aarhus. In May 1966, the SC shut down for some major modifications. One of these modifications was the construction of a new tunnel to send proton beams to a future underground hall that would be dedicated to ISOLDE.{{cite web |title=Synchrocyclotron shuts down |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/synchrocyclotron-shuts-down |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=9 August 2019}} Separator construction made good progress in 1966, along with the appointing of Arve Kjelberg as the first ISOLDE coordinator, and the underground hall was finished in 1967. On 16 October 1967, the first proton beams interacted with the target and the first experiments were successful in proving that the technique worked as expected.{{cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=B. |last2=Richter |first2=A. |title=More than three decades of ISOLDE physics |journal=Hyperfine Interactions |date=December 2000 |volume=129 |issue=1–4 |pages=1–22 |doi=10.1023/A:1012689128103 |bibcode=2000HyInt.129....1J |s2cid=121435898 }} In 1969, the first paper was published with studies of various short-lived isotopes.{{Cite journal |last1=Hansen |first1=P. G. |last2=Hornshøj |first2=P. |last3=Nielsen |first3=H. L. |last4=Wilsky |first4=K. |last5=Kugler |first5=H. |last6=Astner |first6=G. |last7=Hagebø |first7=E. |last8=Hudis |first8=J. |last9=Kjelberg |first9=A. |last10=Münnich |first10=F. |last11=Patzelt |first11=P. |last12=Alpsten |first12=M. |last13=Andersson |first13=G. |last14=Appelqvist |first14=Aa. |last15=Bengtsson |first15=B. |date=1969-01-06 |title=Decay characteristics of short-lived radio-nuclides studied by on-line isotope separator techniques |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0370-2693%2869%2990337-2 |journal=Physics Letters B |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=415–419 |doi=10.1016/0370-2693(69)90337-2 |bibcode=1969PhLB...28..415H |issn=0370-2693|url-access=subscription }}

Shortly after the ISOLDE experimental program started, some major improvements for SC were planned. In 1972 the SC shut down to upgrade its beam intensity by changing its radiofrequency system. The SC Improvement Program (SCIP) increased the primary proton beam intensity by about a factor of about 100. To be able to handle this high-intensity ISOLDE facility also needed some modifications to successfully extract the improved beam to ISOLDE. After necessary modifications, the new ISOLDE facility also known as ISOLDE 2 was launched in 1974.{{cite web |title=Plans to shut down the Synchrocyclotron |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/plans-shut-down-synchrocyclotron |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=27 August 2019}} Its new target design combined with the increased beam intensity from the SC led to significant enhancements in the number of nuclides produced. However, after some time the external beam current from the SC started to be a limiting factor. The collaboration discussed the possibility of moving the facility to an accelerator that could reach higher current values but decided on building another separator with ultra-modern design, for the facility. The new high-resolution separator, ISOLDE 3, was in full use by the end of the 80s.{{cite web |title=ISOLDE III design is approved |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/isolde-iii-design-approved |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=27 August 2019}}{{cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=Björn |title=ISOLDE and its contributions to nuclear physics in Europe |journal=Physics Reports |date=April 1993 |volume=225 |issue=1–3 |pages=137–155 |doi=10.1016/0370-1573(93)90165-A |bibcode=1993PhR...225..137J }} In 1990 a new ion source RILIS was installed at the facility to selectively and efficiently produce radioactive beams.{{cite web |title=The laser ion source, RILIS, is developed |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/laser-ion-source-rilis-developed |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}}

File:Isolde-robots.jpg

The SC was decommissioned in 1990, after having been in operation for more than three decades. As a consequence, the collaboration decided to relocate the ISOLDE facility to the Proton Synchrotron, and place the targets in an external beam from its 1 GeV booster. The construction of the new ISOLDE experimental hall started about three months prior to the decommissioning of the SC. With the relocation also came several upgrades. The most notable being the installation of two new magnetic dipole mass separators. One general-purpose separator with one bending magnet and the other one is a high-resolution separator with two bending magnets.{{cite journal|last1=Catherall|first1=R|last2=Andreazza|first2=W|last3=Breitenfeldt|first3=M|last4=Dorsival|first4=A|last5=Focker|first5=G J|last6=Gharsa|first6=T P|last7=T J|first7=Giles|last8=Grenard|first8=J-L|last9=Locci|first9=F|last10=Martins|first10=P|last11=Marzari|first11=S|last12=Schipper|first12=J|last13=Shornikov|first13=A|last14=Stora|first14=T|title=The ISOLDE facility|journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics|volume=44|issue=9|year=2017|pages=094002|issn=0954-3899|doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa7eba|bibcode=2017JPhG...44i4002C|doi-access=free}} The latter one is a reconstructed version of the ISOLDE 3.{{cite web |title=Inauguration of the new ISOLDE PSB facility |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/inauguration-new-isolde-psb-facility |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=29 August 2019}}{{cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria J G |last2=Jonson |first2=Björn |title=ISOLDE past, present and future |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |date=9 March 2017 |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=044011 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa5f03|url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/161319/1/ISOLDE.pdf |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4011B |doi-access=free }} The first experiment at the new facility, known as ISOLDE PSB, was performed on 26 June 1992.{{cite web |title=First experiment at the ISOLDE Proton-Synchrotron Booster |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/first-experiment-isolde-proton-synchrotron-booster |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=29 August 2019}} In May 1995, two industrial robots were installed in the facility to handle the targets and ion sources units without human intervention.{{cite web |title=First use of robots for target interventions |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/first-use-robots-target-interventions |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=29 August 2019}}

File:REXEBIS_REXTRAP.jpg

To diversify the scientific activities of the facility, a post-accelerator system called REX-ISOLDE (Radioactive beam EXperiments at ISOLDE) was approved in 1995 and inaugurated at the facility in 2001.{{cite journal |title=Around the Laboratories – Exotic beams |journal=CERN Courier |date=December 1995 |volume=35 |issue=9 |page=2 |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1732490 |access-date=29 August 2019}}{{cite web |title=New World of Radioactive Research Appears as CERN Propels Isotopes at Even Faster Speeds |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/45370?ln=en |website=CERN Document Server |publisher=CERN |access-date=2 September 2019}}{{Cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=B. |last2=Richter |first2=A. |date=2000-12-01 |title=More than three decades of ISOLDE physics |url=https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012689128103 |journal=Hyperfine Interactions |language=en |volume=129 |issue=1 |pages=1–22 |doi=10.1023/A:1012689128103 |bibcode=2000HyInt.129....1J |issn=1572-9540|url-access=subscription }} With this new addition, nuclear reaction experiments which require a high-energy RIB could now be performed at ISOLDE. Additionally, REXTRAP operates as a Penning Trap for the REX-ISOLDE then transfers bunches of ions to REXEBIS, an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), which traps the isotopes produced and further ionises them.{{Cite journal |last1=Wenander |first1=F |last2=Jonson |first2=B |last3=Liljeby |first3=L |last4=Nyman |first4=G H |date=8 Dec 1998 |title=REXEBIS the Electron Beam Ion Source for the REX-ISOLDE project |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/478399 |journal=REX-ISOLDE Collaboration}}{{Cite journal |last1=Schmidt |first1=P. |last2=Ames |first2=F. |last3=Bollen |first3=G. |last4=Forstner |first4=O. |last5=Huber |first5=G. |last6=Oinonen |first6=M. |last7=Zimmer |first7=J. |date=April 2002 |title=Bunching and cooling of radioactive ions with REXTRAP |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0375947401016426 |journal=Nuclear Physics A |language=en |volume=701 |issue=1–4 |pages=550–556 |doi=10.1016/S0375-9474(01)01642-6|bibcode=2002NuPhA.701..550S |url-access=subscription }}

The facility building was extended in 2005 to allow more experiments to be set up. ISCOOL, an ion cooler and buncher, increasing the beam quality for experiments was installed at the facility in 2007.{{cite web |title=A Better Beam For ISOLDE |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1074942?ln=en |website=CERN Document Server |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}} In 2006, the International Advisory Board decided that upgrading ISOLDE hall with a linear post-accelerator design based on superconducting quarter-wave resonators would allow for a full-energy availability, crucially without the reduction of beam quality.{{Cite journal |last1=Fraser |first1=M. A. |last2=Jones |first2=R. M. |last3=Pasini |first3=M. |date=2011-02-17 |title=Beam dynamics design studies of a superconducting radioactive ion beam postaccelerator |journal=Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams |language=en |volume=14 |issue=2 |page=020102 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.14.020102 |issn=1098-4402|doi-access=free |bibcode=2011PhRvS..14b0102F }}{{Cite journal |last1=Kadi |first1=Y |last2=Blumenfeld |first2=Y |last3=Delsolaro |first3=W Venturini |last4=Fraser |first4=M A |last5=Huyse |first5=M |last6=Koufidou |first6=A Papageorgiou |last7=Rodriguez |first7=J A |last8=Wenander |first8=F |date=2017-08-01 |title=Post-accelerated beams at ISOLDE |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=8 |pages=084003 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa78ca |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017JPhG...44h4003K }} The HIE-ISOLDE project was approved in December 2009, and involves an upgrade of the energy range from 3 MeV per nucleon, to 5 MeV, and lastly to 10 MeV per nucleon.{{Cite news |date=11 Jan 2010 |title=ISOLDE STEPS UP A GEAR |work=CERN Bulletin |url=http://cdsweb.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2010/03/News%20Articles/1231882 |access-date=18 Aug 2023}}{{Cite news |date=26 Sep 2011 |title=BREAKING THE GROUND FOR HIE-ISOLDE |work=CERN Bulletin |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1383850?ln=en |access-date=18 Aug 2023}} The design also incorporated an intensity upgrade to make best use of the delivered proton beams. The upgrade project was split into three different phases, to be completed over a number of years.

In late 2013 the construction of a new facility for medical research called CERN MEDICIS (MEDical Isotopes Collected from ISOLDE) started. Of the incident proton beams used at ISOLDE, only 10% are actually stopped in the targets and achieve their objective, while the remaining 90% are not used.{{cite web |last=Schaeffer |first=Anaïs |date=2 April 2012 |title=CERN to start producing medical isotopes |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1434420?ln=en |access-date=4 September 2019 |website=CERN Document Server |publisher=CERN}} The MEDICIS facility is designed to work with the remaining proton beams that have already passed a first target. The second target produces specific radioisotopes that are delivered to hospitals and research facilities and can be made injectable.{{Cite journal |last1=Dos Santos Augusto |first1=Ricardo Manuel |last2=Buehler |first2=Leo |last3=Lawson |first3=Zoe |last4=Marzari |first4=Stefano |last5=Stachura |first5=Monika |last6=Stora |first6=Thierry |last7=CERN-MEDICIS collaboration |date=2014-05-16 |title=CERN-MEDICIS (Medical Isotopes Collected from ISOLDE): A New Facility |journal=Applied Sciences |language=en |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=265–281 |doi=10.3390/app4020265 |issn=2076-3417 |doi-access=free }}

File:HIE-ISOLDE_Cryo-module.jpg

In 2013, during the Long Shutdown 1,{{cite web |title=Long Shutdown 1: Exciting times ahead |url=https://home.cern/news/news/accelerators/long-shutdown-1-exciting-times-ahead |website=News |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}} three ISOLDE buildings were demolished. They've been built again as a new single building with a new control room, a data storage room, three laser laboratories, a biology and materials laboratory, and a room for visitors. Another building extension for the MEDICIS project and several others equipped with electrical, cooling and ventilation systems to be used for the HIE-ISOLDE project in the future were also built. In addition, the robots which were installed for the handling of radioactive targets have been replaced with more modern robots.{{cite web |title=ISOLDE Back On Target |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1746357?ln=en |website=CERN Document Server |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}} In 2015, for the first time, a radioactive isotope beam could be accelerated to an energy level of 4.3 MeV per nucleon in the ISOLDE facility thanks to the HIE-ISOLDE upgrades.{{cite web |title=First radioactive isotope beam accelerated in HIE ISOLDE |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/first-radioactive-isotope-beam-accelerated-hie-isolde |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}} In late 2017, the CERN-MEDICIS facility produced its first radioisotopes and by the end of 2020 had provided external nine hospitals and research facilities with 41 batches of radioisotopes.{{cite web |title=New CERN facility can help medical research into cancer |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/new-cern-facility-can-help-medical-research-cancer |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 September 2019}}{{Cite journal |last1=Duchemin |first1=Charlotte |last2=Ramos |first2=Joao P. |last3=Stora |first3=Thierry |last4=Ahmed |first4=Essraa |last5=Aubert |first5=Elodie |last6=Audouin |first6=Nadia |last7=Barbero |first7=Ermanno |last8=Barozier |first8=Vincent |last9=Bernardes |first9=Ana-Paula |last10=Bertreix |first10=Philippe |last11=Boscher |first11=Aurore |last12=Bruchertseifer |first12=Frank |last13=Catherall |first13=Richard |last14=Chevallay |first14=Eric |last15=Christodoulou |first15=Pinelopi |date=2021 |title=CERN-MEDICIS: A Review Since Commissioning in 2017 |journal=Frontiers in Medicine |volume=8 |page=693682 |doi=10.3389/fmed.2021.693682 |issn=2296-858X |pmc=8319400 |pmid=34336898 |doi-access=free }} Phase 2 of the facility's HIE-ISOLDE upgrade was completed in 2018, which allows ISOLDE to accelerate radioactive beams up to 10 MeV per nucleon.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=HIE-ISOLDE's Phase 2 reaches completion |url=https://home.cern/news/news/accelerators/hie-isoldes-phase-2-reaches-completion |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=CERN |language=en}}

File:ISOLDE facility model.jpg

The ISOLDE facility contains the Class A laboratories, buildings for the HIE-ISOLDE and MEDICIS projects, and the control rooms located in building 508. Before ISOLDE, the radioactive nuclides were transported from the production are to the laboratory for examination. At ISOLDE, all processes from the production to the measurements are connected and the radioactive material requires no extra transport. Due to this, ISOLDE is referred to as an on-line facility.

At the ISOLDE facility, the main proton beam for reactions comes from the PSB. The incoming proton beam has an energy of 1.4 GeV and its average intensity varies up to 2 μA. The beam enters the facility and is directed towards one of two mass separators: the General Purpose Separator (GPS) and the High Resolution Separator (HRS). The separators have independently run target-ion source systems, delivering 60 keV RIBs.{{Cite web |title=Targets and Separators {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/targets-and-separators |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=isolde.cern}}

File:ISOLDE_target.jpg

The targets used at ISOLDE allow for the quick production and extraction of radioactive nuclei. Targets consist sometimes of molten metal kept at high temperature (700 °C to 1400 °C), which result in long isotope release times.{{Cite journal |last1=Lettry |first1=J. |last2=Catherall |first2=R. |last3=Cyvoct |first3=G. |last4=Drumm |first4=P. |last5=Evensen |first5=A. H. M. |last6=Lindroos |first6=M. |last7=Jonsson |first7=O. C. |last8=Kugler |first8=E. |last9=Obert |first9=J. |last10=Putaux |first10=J. C. |last11=Sauvage |first11=J. |last12=Schindl |first12=K. |last13=Ravn |first13=H. |last14=Wildner |first14=E. |date=1997-04-04 |title=Release from ISOLDE molten metal targets under pulsed proton beam conditions |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X96010889 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |series=International Conference on Electromagnetic Isotope Separators and Techniques Related to Their Applications |volume=126 |issue=1 |pages=170–175 |doi=10.1016/S0168-583X(96)01088-9 |bibcode=1997NIMPB.126..170L |issn=0168-583X|url-access=subscription }} Heating the target to higher temperatures, typically above 2000 °C, makes for a faster release time. Using a target heavier than the desired isotope, results in production via spallation or fragmentation.{{Cite journal |last=Köster |first=U. |date=2001-11-01 |title=ISOLDE target and ion source chemistry |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1524/ract.2001.89.11-12.749/html |journal=Radiochimica Acta |language=en |volume=89 |issue=11–12 |pages=749–756 |doi=10.1524/ract.2001.89.11-12.749 |issn=2193-3405}}

The ion sources, used in combination with the targets at ISOLDE, produce an ion beam of (preferably) one chemical element. There are three types used: surface ion sources, plasma ion sources and laser ion sources. The surface ion sources consist of a metal tube with a high work function heated up to 2400 °C, so that the atom can be ionised. If an atom cannot be surface ionised, the plasma ion source is used. The plasma is produced by an ionised gas mixture and optimised using an additional magnetic field. The laser ion source used at ISOLDE is RILIS.{{Cite journal |last1=Fink |first1=D. A. |last2=Richter |first2=S. D. |last3=Blaum |first3=K. |last4=Catherall |first4=R. |last5=Crepieux |first5=B. |last6=Fedosseev |first6=V. N. |last7=Gottberg |first7=A. |last8=Kron |first8=T. |last9=Marsh |first9=B. A. |last10=Mattolat |first10=C. |last11=Raeder |first11=S. |last12=Rossel |first12=R. E. |last13=Rothe |first13=S. |last14=Schwellnus |first14=F. |last15=Seliverstov |first15=M. D. |date=2015-02-01 |title=On-line implementation and first operation of the Laser Ion Source and Trap at ISOLDE/CERN |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |volume=344 |pages=83–95 |doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2014.12.007 |issn=0168-583X|doi-access=free |bibcode=2015NIMPB.344...83F }}

The GPS is made with a double focusing magnet with a bending radius of 1.5 m and a bending angle of 70°.{{Cite journal |last1=Kugler |first1=E. |last2=Fiander |first2=D. |last3=Johnson |first3=B. |last4=Haas |first4=H. |last5=Przewloka |first5=A. |last6=Ravn |first6=H. L. |last7=Simon |first7=D. J. |last8=Zimmer |first8=K. |date=1992-08-01 |title=The new CERN-ISOLDE on-line mass-separator facility at the PS-Booster |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X%2892%2995907-9 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |language=en |volume=70 |issue=1 |pages=41–49 |doi=10.1016/0168-583X(92)95907-9 |bibcode=1992NIMPB..70...41K |issn=0168-583X}} The resolution of the GPS is approximately 800.{{cite journal |last1=Catherall |first1=R |last2=Andreazza |first2=W |last3=Breitenfeldt |first3=M |last4=Dorsival |first4=A |last5=Focker |first5=G J |last6=Gharsa |first6=T P |last7=T J |first7=Giles |last8=Grenard |first8=J-L |last9=Locci |first9=F |last10=Martins |first10=P |last11=Marzari |first11=S |last12=Schipper |first12=J |last13=Shornikov |first13=A |last14=Stora |first14=T |year=2017 |title=The ISOLDE facility |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=9 |pages=094002 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44i4002C |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa7eba |issn=0954-3899 |doi-access=free}} The GPS sends beams to an electronic switchyard, allowing three mass separated beams to be simultaneously extracted. The second separator, the HRS, consists of two dipole magnets, with bending radii of 1 m and bending angles of 90° and 60°, and an elaborate ion-optical system. The overall resolution of the HRS has been measured as 7000, which enables it to be used for experiments requiring higher mass resolution values. The GPS switchyard and HRS are connected to a common central beam-line used to provide beam to the various experimental setups located in the ISOLDE facility.{{cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria J G |last2=Jonson |first2=Björn |date=9 March 2017 |title=ISOLDE past, present and future |url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/161319/1/ISOLDE.pdf |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=044011 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4011B |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa5f03 |doi-access=free}}

File:ISCOOL.jpg

The ISOLDE COOLer (ISCOOL) is located downstream from the HRS, and extends up to the merging switchyard joining the two mass separator beams. ISCOOL is a general-purpose Radio Frequency Quadrupole Cooler and Buncher (RFQCB), with the purpose of cooling (improving the beam quality) and bunching the RIB from the HRS. Incoming ions collide with the neutral buffer gas, losing their energy, and then are radially confined. The beam is then extracted from ISCOOL.{{Cite journal |last=Aliseda |first=I P |date=2006 |title=ISCOOL project: cooling and bunching RIBs for ISOLDE |url=http://cds.cern.ch/record/1058103 |language=en |doi=10.5170/CERN-2006-013.57}}{{Cite journal |last1=Catherall |first1=R |last2=Andreazza |first2=W |last3=Breitenfeldt |first3=M |last4=Dorsival |first4=A |last5=Focker |first5=G J |last6=Gharsa |first6=T P |last7=T J |first7=Giles |last8=Grenard |first8=J-L |last9=Locci |first9=F |last10=Martins |first10=P |last11=Marzari |first11=S |last12=Schipper |first12=J |last13=Shornikov |first13=A |last14=Stora |first14=T |date=2017-09-01 |title=The ISOLDE facility |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=9 |pages=094002 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa7eba |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017JPhG...44i4002C }}

File:RILIS.jpg

The magnetic mass separators are able to separate isobars by mass number, however they are unable to sort isotopes of the same mass. If an experiment requires a higher degree of chemical purity, it will need the beam to have an additional separation, by proton number. RILIS provides this separation by using step-wise resonance photo-ionisation, involving precisely tuned laser wavelengths matched exactly to a specific element's successive electron transition energies.{{Cite journal |last1=Marsh |first1=B. A. |last2=Andel |first2=B. |last3=Andreyev |first3=A. N. |last4=Antalic |first4=S. |last5=Atanasov |first5=D. |last6=Barzakh |first6=A. E. |last7=Bastin |first7=B. |last8=Borgmann |first8=Ch. |last9=Capponi |first9=L. |last10=Cocolios |first10=T. E. |last11=Day Goodacre |first11=T. |last12=Dehairs |first12=M. |last13=Derkx |first13=X. |last14=De Witte |first14=H. |last15=Fedorov |first15=D. V. |date=2013-12-15 |title=New developments of the in-source spectroscopy method at RILIS/ISOLDE |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X13008914 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |series=XVIth International Conference on ElectroMagnetic Isotope Separators and Techniques Related to their Applications, December 2–7, 2012 at Matsue, Japan |volume=317 |pages=550–556 |doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2013.07.070 |bibcode=2013NIMPB.317..550M |issn=0168-583X|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |title=RILIS {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.web.cern.ch/rilis |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=isolde.web.cern.ch}} Ionisation will only occur of the desired element, and the other elements within the ion-source will remain unchanged. This process of laser ionisation takes place in a hot metal cavity to provide the spatial confinement needed for the atomic vapour to be illuminated. A high frequency laser system is needed to ionise the atom before it leaves the cavity.{{Cite journal |last1=Fedosseev |first1=V N |last2=Kudryavtsev |first2=Yu |last3=Mishin |first3=V I |date=2012-05-01 |title=Resonance laser ionization of atoms for nuclear physics |url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0031-8949/85/05/058104 |journal=Physica Scripta |volume=85 |issue=5 |pages=058104 |doi=10.1088/0031-8949/85/05/058104 |bibcode=2012PhyS...85e8104F |issn=0031-8949|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |title=Motivation for RILIS {{!}} The ISOLDE RILIS |url=https://rilis-web.web.cern.ch/training |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=rilis-web.web.cern.ch}} All in all, the ISOLDE facility provides 1300 isotopes from 75 elements in the periodic table.

File:MEDICIS_Robot.jpg

{{Main|CERN-MEDICIS}}

The project CERN-MEDICIS is running to supply radioactive isotopes for medical applications. The proton beams from the PSB preserve 90% of their intensities after hitting a standard target in the facility. The CERN-MEDICIS facility uses the remaining protons on a target that is placed behind the HRS target, in order to produce radioisotopes for medical purposes. The irradiated target is then carried to the MEDICIS building by using an automated conveyor to separator and collect the isotopes of interest.{{cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria J G |last2=Jonson |first2=Björn |date=9 March 2017 |title=ISOLDE past, present and future |url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/161319/1/ISOLDE.pdf |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=044011 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4011B |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa5f03 |doi-access=free}}

The post-accelerator REX-ISOLDE is a combination of different devices used to accelerate radioisotopes to boost their energy to 10 MeV per nucleon, increased from 3 MeV per nucleon due to HIE-ISOLDE upgrades. The incoming RIBs have enough energy to overcome the first potential threshold of the Penning trap, REXTRAP, but within the trap the ions lose energy through collisions with buffer gas atoms. This cools the ions and their movement is dampened by a combination of a radio-frequency (RF) excitation and a buffer gas. The ion bunches are extracted from REXTRAP and injected into REXEBIS.{{Cite journal |last1=Van Duppen |first1=P |last2=Riisager |first2=K |date=2011-02-01 |title=Physics with REX-ISOLDE: from experiment to facility |url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0954-3899/38/2/024005 |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=024005 |doi=10.1088/0954-3899/38/2/024005 |bibcode=2011JPhG...38b4005V |issn=0954-3899}}{{Cite web |title=REXTRAP |url=https://isoldeop.web.cern.ch/rextrap |access-date=17 Aug 2023 |website=ISOLDE Operation }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

File:REXEBIS.jpg

REXEBIS uses a strong magnetic field to focus electrons from an electron gun in order to produce highly charged ions. The ions are confined radially and longitudinally, after which they will undergo stepwise ionisation through electron impact.{{Cite web |title=REXEBIS |url=https://isoldeop.web.cern.ch/REXEBIS |access-date=17 Aug 2023 |website=ISOLDE Operation }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} A mass separator is required to separator the subsequent ions, due to the small intensity after being extracted from EBIS.{{Cite web |title=Mass Separator |url=https://isoldeop.web.cern.ch/mass-separator |access-date=17 Aug 2023 |website=ISOLDE Operation }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The next stage of REX-ISOLDE consists of a normal conducting (room-temperature) linac, where the ions are accelerated by an RFQ. An interdigital H-type (IH) structure uses resonators to boost the beam energy up to its maximum value.{{Cite journal |last=Borge |first=María J. G. |date=Feb 2012 |title=Recent Results from ISOLDE and HIE-ISOLDE |journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series |volume=966 |pages=012002 |doi=10.1088/1742-6596/966/1/012002 |issn=1742-6588|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018JPhCS.966a2002B |hdl=10261/166522 |hdl-access=free }}

REX-ISOLDE was originally intended to accelerate light isotopes, but has passed this goal and provided post-accelerated beams of a wider mass range, from ⁶He up to ²²⁴Ra. The post-accelerator has delivered accelerated beams of more than 100 isotopes and 30 elements since its commissioning.{{Cite web |title=REX-ISOLDE {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.web.cern.ch/rex-isolde |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=isolde.web.cern.ch}}

To be able to satisfy the ever-increasing needs of higher quality, intensity, and energy of the production beam is very important for facilities such as ISOLDE. As the latest response to satisfy these needs, HIE-ISOLDE upgrade project is currently ongoing. Due to its phased planning, the upgrade project is being carried out with the least impact on the experiments continuing in the facility. The project included an energy increase for the REX-ISOLDE up to 10 MeV as well as resonator and cooler upgrades, enhancement of the input beam from PSB, improvements on targets, ion sources, and mass separators. Following the completion of the phase two upgrade in 2018 for the HIE-ISOLDE which included installing four high-beta cryomodules, the next and final phase will replace REX structures after the IH-structure (IHS) with two low-beta cryomodules. This will improve the beam quality and allow a continuously variable energy between 0.45 and 10 MeV per nucleon.{{cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria J G |last2=Jonson |first2=Björn |date=9 March 2017 |title=ISOLDE past, present and future |url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/161319/1/ISOLDE.pdf |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=044011 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4011B |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa5f03 |doi-access=free}} As a state-of-the-art project, HIE-ISOLDE is expected to expand the research opportunities in ISOLDE facility to the next level. When completed, the upgraded facility will be able to host advanced experiments in fields like nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics.

ISOLDE contains both temporary and fixed experimental setups. Temporary setups in the ISOLDE facility are there for shorter time periods, and generally focus on detecting specific decay modes of nuclei. The fixed experimental setups have a permanent position at the facility. They include:

File:COLLAPS_experiment.jpg

{{Main|COLLAPS experiment}}

The COLinear LAser SPectroScopy (COLLAPS) experiment has been operating at ISOLDE since the late 1970s and is the oldest active experiment at the facility.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-18 |title=Exploring nuclei at the limits |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/exploring-nuclei-at-the-limits/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=CERN Courier |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=COLLAPS @ ISOLDE-CERN |url=http://collaps.web.cern.ch/subpages/experiment.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=collaps.web.cern.ch}} COLLAPS studies ground and isomeric state properties of highly-unstable (exotic), short-lived nuclei, including measurements of their spins, electro-magnetic moments and charge radii.{{Cite web |title=COLLAPS {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/experiments/collaps |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=isolde.cern |archive-date=2023-07-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711160002/https://isolde.cern/experiments/collaps |url-status=dead }} The experiment uses the technique of collinear spectroscopy using lasers to access necessary atomic transitions.

{{Main|CRIS experiment}}

The Collinear Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy (CRIS) experiment uses fast beam collinear laser spectroscopy alongside the technique of resonance ionization to produce results with a high resolution and efficiency. The experiment studies group-state properties of exotic nuclei and produces isomeric beams used for decay studies.{{Cite web |title=CRIS {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.web.cern.ch/cris |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=isolde.web.cern.ch}}

File:EC-SLI.jpg

{{Main|EC-SLI experiment}}

The Emission Channeling with Short-Lived Isotopes (EC-SLI) experiment uses the emission channelling method to study lattice locations of dopants and impurities in crystals and epitaxial thin films. This is done by introducing short-lived isotope probes into the crystal and measuring the electron intensity affected to determine whether they have been affected by the decay particles emitted.{{Cite journal |last1=Wahl |first1=Ulrich |last2=Augustyns |first2=Valérie |last3=Correia |first3=João Guilherme |last4=Costa |first4=Ângelo |last5=David Bosne |first5=Eric |last6=Lima |first6=Tiago |last7=Lippertz |first7=Gertjan |last8=Lino |first8=Pereira |last9=Manuel |first9=da Silva |last10=Kritiaan |first10=Temst |last11=Vantomme |first11=André |date=10 Jan 2017 |title=Emission channeling with short-lived isotopes (EC-SLI) of acceptor dopants in nitride semiconductors |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2241166?ln=en# |journal=ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Experiments Committee}}{{Cite book |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Kevin Peter |title=Rare earth doped III-nitrides for optoelectronic and spintronic applications |last2=Dierolf |first2=Volkmar |date=2010 |publisher=Springer in association with Canopus Academic Pub |isbn=978-90-481-2877-8 |series=Topics in applied physics |location=Dordrecht, the Netherlands New York Bristol, UK}}

{{Main|ISOLDE Decay Station experiment}}

The ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS) experiment is a setup that allows different experiment systems to be coupled to the station, using spectroscopy techniques such as fast timing or time-of-flight (ToF).{{Cite journal |last1=IDS Collaboration |last2=Lică |first2=R. |last3=Mach |first3=H. |last4=Fraile |first4=L. M. |last5=Gargano |first5=A. |last6=Borge |first6=M. J. G. |last7=Mărginean |first7=N. |last8=Sotty |first8=C. O. |last9=Vedia |first9=V. |last10=Andreyev |first10=A. N. |last11=Benzoni |first11=G. |last12=Bomans |first12=P. |last13=Borcea |first13=R. |last14=Coraggio |first14=L. |last15=Costache |first15=C. |date=2016-04-04 |title=Fast-timing study of the $l$-forbidden $1/{2}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3/{2}^{+} M1$ transition in $^{129}\mathrm{Sn}$ |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevC.93.044303 |journal=Physical Review C |volume=93 |issue=4 |pages=044303 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevC.93.044303 |hdl-access=free |hdl=10138/164553}}{{Cite journal |last1=Paulauskas |first1=S. V. |last2=Madurga |first2=M. |last3=Grzywacz |first3=R. |last4=Miller |first4=D. |last5=Padgett |first5=S. |last6=Tan |first6=H. |date=2014-02-11 |title=A digital data acquisition framework for the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168900213015672 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |language=en |volume=737 |pages=22–28 |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2013.11.028 |bibcode=2014NIMPA.737...22P |issn=0168-9002|url-access=subscription }} The station, operational since 2014, is used to measure decay properties of a wide range of radioactive isotopes for a variety of applications.{{Cite web |title=ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS) {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/isolde-decay-station-ids |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=isolde.cern}}{{Cite thesis |last=Razvan |first=Lics |date=3 Oct 2017 |title=Development of the ISOLDE Decay Station and γ spectroscopic studies of exotic nuclei near the N=20 "Island of Inversion" |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2292847?ln=en |journal=Cern-Isolde}} Results from the IDS have been useful for astrophysics, as they measured the probability of a particular decay seen in red giant stars.{{Cite web |date=2018-09-28 |title=The ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS) gives improved results on delayed alpha decay for 16N. New paper in Physical Review Letters. |url=https://phys.au.dk/en/news/item/artikel/translate-to-english-isolde-decay-station-ids-giver-forbedrede-resultater-af-forsinket-alfahenf |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=phys.au.dk |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Buchmann |first1=L. |last2=Ruprecht |first2=G. |last3=Ruiz |first3=C. |date=2009-10-21 |title=$\ensuremath{\beta}$-delayed $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ decay of $^{16}\mathrm{N}$ |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevC.80.045803 |journal=Physical Review C |volume=80 |issue=4 |pages=045803 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevC.80.045803|url-access=subscription }}

File:ISS_Magnet.jpg

{{Main|ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer experiment}}

The ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer (ISS) experiment uses an ex-MRI magnet to direct RIBs at a light target. Conditions produced by this reaction replicate those present in astrophysical processes, and measuring the properties of the atomic nuclei will also provide a better understanding of nucleon-nucleon interactions in exotic nuclei.{{Cite web |title=ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer – Department of Physics – University of Liverpool |url=https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/physics/research/nuclear-physics/projects/isolde-solenoidal-spectrometer/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=www.liverpool.ac.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=ISOLDE's Solenoidal Spectrometer (ISS): a new tool for studying exotic nuclei |url=https://ep-news.web.cern.ch/content/isoldes-solenoidal-spectrometer-iss-new-tool-studying-exotic-nuclei |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=EP News |language=en}} The experiment was commissioned in 2021 and finished construction during the Long Shutdown 2.

{{Main|ISOLTRAP experiment}}

The ISOLTRAP experiment is a high-precision mass spectrometer that uses the ToF detection technique to measure mass.{{Cite web |title=ISOLTRAP {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.web.cern.ch/isoltrap |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=isolde.web.cern.ch}} Since the start of its operation, ISOLTRAP has measured the mass of hundreds of short-lived radioactive nuclei, as well as confirming the existence of doubly magic isotopes.{{Cite journal |last1=Welker |first1=A. |last2=Althubiti |first2=N. A. S. |last3=Atanasov |first3=D. |last4=Blaum |first4=K. |last5=Cocolios |first5=T. E. |last6=Herfurth |first6=F. |last7=Kreim |first7=S. |last8=Lunney |first8=D. |last9=Manea |first9=V. |last10=Mougeot |first10=M. |last11=Neidherr |first11=D. |last12=Nowacki |first12=F. |last13=Poves |first13=A. |last14=Rosenbusch |first14=M. |last15=Schweikhard |first15=L. |date=2017-11-06 |title=Binding Energy of Cu 79 : Probing the Structure of the Doubly Magic Ni 78 from Only One Proton Away |journal=Physical Review Letters |language=en |volume=119 |issue=19 |page=192502 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.192502 |issn=0031-9007 |pmid=29219497|doi-access=free }}{{Cite web |last1=Yirka |first1=Bob |last2=Phys.org |title=Nickel-78 confirmed to be doubly magic |url=https://phys.org/news/2017-11-nickel-doubly-magic.html |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=phys.org |language=en}} The setup was upgraded in 2011 to include a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-ToF), allowing the detection of more exotic isotopes.{{Cite journal |last1=Lunney |first1=D |last2=(on behalf of the ISOLTRAP Collaboration) |date=2017-06-01 |title=Extending and refining the nuclear mass surface with ISOLTRAP |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=6 |pages=064008 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44f4008L |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa6752 |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free }}

File:LUCRECIA.jpg

{{Main|LUCRECIA experiment}}

The LUCRECIA experiment is based on a Total Absorption gamma Spectrometer (TAS), which measures the gamma transitions in an unstable parent nucleus.{{cite journal |last1=Rubio |first1=B. |last2=Gelletly |first2=W. |date=2007 |title=Total absorption spectroscopy |url=http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/9220/2/Rubio_Gelletly_RomRepPhys_59_2_2007.pdf |journal=Romanian Reports in Physics |volume=59 |issue=2 |pages=635–654}} From these measurements, nuclear structure is analysed and used to confirm theoretical models and make stellar predictions.{{Cite journal |last1=Nácher |first1=E. |last2=Algora |first2=A. |last3=Rubio |first3=B. |last4=Taín |first4=J. L. |last5=Cano-Ott |first5=D. |last6=Courtin |first6=S. |last7=Dessagne |first7=Ph. |last8=Maréchal |first8=F. |last9=Miehé |first9=Ch. |last10=Poirier |first10=E. |last11=Borge |first11=M. J. G. |last12=Escrig |first12=D. |last13=Jungclaus |first13=A. |last14=Sarriguren |first14=P. |last15=Tengblad |first15=O. |date=2004-06-09 |title=Deformation of the $N=Z$ Nucleus $^{76}\mathrm{Sr}$ using $\ensuremath{\beta}$-Decay Studies |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.232501 |journal=Physical Review Letters |volume=92 |issue=23 |pages=232501 |arxiv=nucl-ex/0402001 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.232501|pmid=15245152 }}

{{Main|Miniball experiment}}

The Miniball experiment is a gamma-ray spectroscopy setup consisting of a high-resolution germanium detector array. The experiment is used to analyse the decays of short-lived nuclei involved in Coulomb excitation and transfer reactions.{{Cite journal |last1=Warr |first1=N. |last2=Van de Walle |first2=J. |last3=Albers |first3=M. |last4=Ames |first4=F. |last5=Bastin |first5=B. |last6=Bauer |first6=C. |last7=Bildstein |first7=V. |last8=Blazhev |first8=A. |last9=Bönig |first9=S. |last10=Bree |first10=N. |last11=Bruyneel |first11=B. |last12=Butler |first12=P. A. |last13=Cederkäll |first13=J. |last14=Clément |first14=E. |last15=Cocolios |first15=T. E. |date=March 2013 |title=The Miniball spectrometer |journal=The European Physical Journal A |language=en |volume=49 |issue=3 |page=40 |doi=10.1140/epja/i2013-13040-9 |issn=1434-6001|doi-access=free |bibcode=2013EPJA...49...40W }} Results from Miniball at ISOLDE that found evidence of pear-shaped heavy nuclei was named in the Institute of Physics (IoP) "top 10 breakthroughs in physics".{{Cite web |date=2013-05-08 |title=Nuclear physics goes pear-shaped |url=https://physicsworld.com/a/nuclear-physics-goes-pear-shaped/ |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=Physics World |language=en-GB}}

File:MIRACLS_MR-ToF.jpg

{{Main|MIRACLS experiment}}

The Multi Ion Reflection Apparatus for CoLlinear Spectroscopy (MIRACLS) experiment determines properties exotic radioisotopes by measuring their hyperfine structure.{{Cite web |title=MIRACLS |url=http://miracls.web.cern.ch/experiment.html |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=miracls.web.cern.ch}} MIRACLS uses laser spectrometer on ion bunches trapped in a MR-ToF, to increase the flight path of the ions.{{Cite journal |last1=Lagaki |first1=V. |last2=Heylen |first2=H. |last3=Belosevic |first3=I. |last4=Fischer |first4=P. |last5=Kanitz |first5=C. |last6=Lechner |first6=S. |last7=Maier |first7=F. M. |last8=Nörtershäuser |first8=W. |last9=Plattner |first9=P. |last10=Rosenbusch |first10=M. |last11=Sels |first11=S. |last12=Schweikhard |first12=L. |last13=Vilen |first13=M. |last14=Wienholtz |first14=F. |last15=Wolf |first15=R. N. |date=2021-10-21 |title=An accuracy benchmark of the MIRACLS apparatus: Conventional, single-passage collinear laser spectroscopy inside a MR-ToF device |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |language=en |volume=1014 |pages=165663 |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2021.165663 |issn=0168-9002|doi-access=free |bibcode=2021NIMPA101465663L }} Currently, the experiment is being designed and constructed.{{Cite journal |last1=Maier |first1=F. M. |last2=Vilen |first2=M. |last3=Belosevic |first3=I. |last4=Buchinger |first4=F. |last5=Kanitz |first5=C. |last6=Lechner |first6=S. |last7=Leistenschneider |first7=E. |last8=Nörtershäuser |first8=W. |last9=Plattner |first9=P. |last10=Schweikhard |first10=L. |last11=Sels |first11=S. |last12=Wienholtz |first12=F. |last13=Malbrunot-Ettenauer |first13=S. |date=2023-03-01 |title=Simulation studies of a 30-keV MR-ToF device for highly sensitive collinear laser spectroscopy |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |language=en |volume=1048 |pages=167927 |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2022.167927 |issn=0168-9002|doi-access=free |bibcode=2023NIMPA104867927M }}

{{Main|SEC experiment}}

The Scattering Experiments Chamber (SEC) experiment facilitates diversified reaction experiments, and is complimentary to the ISS and Miniball, due to SEC not detecting gamma radiation.{{Cite web |last1=Martel |first1=I |last2=Tengblad |first2=O |last3=Cederkall |first3=J |date=29 Apr 2019 |title=Physics at ISOLDE with SEC |url=https://indico.cern.ch/event/814162/contributions/3396897/attachments/1846084/3028878/SEC-XT03.pdf |access-date=3 Aug 2023 |website=indico.cern}} The station is used to study low-lying resonances in light atomic nuclei through transfer reactions.{{Cite web |title=SEC {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/sec |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=isolde.cern}}

File:VITO_experiment.jpg

{{Main|VITO experiment}}

The Versatile Ion polarisation Technique Online (VITO) experiment is a beamline used to investigate the weak interaction and determine properties of short-lived unstable nuclei. The experiment uses the technique of optical pumping to produce laser-polarised RIBs allowing for versatile studies.{{Cite journal |last1=Stachura |first1=Monika |last2=Karl |first2=Johnston |last3=Gottberg |first3=Alexander |display-authors=2 |date=14 Jan 2015 |title=VITO setup: Status Report |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1981328/files/INTC-SR-050.pdf |journal=ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Experiments Committee}} There are three independent studies on the VITO beamline including a β-NMR spectroscopy station.{{Cite journal |last1=Stachura |first1=M. |last2=Gottberg |first2=A. |last3=Johnston |first3=K. |last4=Bissell |first4=M. L. |last5=Garcia Ruiz |first5=R. F. |last6=Martins Correia |first6=J. |last7=Granadeiro Costa |first7=A. R. |last8=Dehn |first8=M. |last9=Deicher |first9=M. |last10=Fenta |first10=A. |last11=Hemmingsen |first11=L. |last12=Mølholt |first12=T. E. |last13=Munch |first13=M. |last14=Neyens |first14=G. |last15=Pallada |first15=S. |date=2016-06-01 |title=Versatile Ion-polarized Techniques On-line (VITO) experiment at ISOLDE-CERN |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X16001609 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |series=Proceedings of the XVIIth International Conference on Electromagnetic Isotope Separators and Related Topics (EMIS2015), Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A., 11–15 May 2015 |volume=376 |pages=369–373 |doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2016.02.030 |bibcode=2016NIMPB.376..369S |issn=0168-583X|url-access=subscription }}

{{Main|WISArD experiment}}

The Weak Interaction Studies with 32Ar Decay (WISArD) experiment investigates the weak interaction to search for physics beyond the Standard Model (SM).{{Cite web |title=WISArD {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/experiments/wisard |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=isolde.cern |archive-date=2023-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816113502/https://isolde.cern/experiments/wisard |url-status=dead }}{{Cite journal |last1=Atanasov |first1=D. |last2=Cresto |first2=F. |last3=Nies |first3=L. |last4=Pomorski |first4=M. |last5=Versteegen |first5=M. |last6=Alfaurt |first6=P. |last7=Araujo-Escalona |first7=V. |last8=Ascher |first8=P. |last9=Blank |first9=B. |last10=Daudin |first10=L. |last11=Guillet |first11=D. |last12=Fléchard |first12=X. |last13=Ha |first13=J. |last14=Husson |first14=A. |last15=Gerbaux |first15=M. |date=2023-05-01 |title=Experimental setup for Weak Interaction Studies with Radioactive ion-beams WISArD |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |volume=1050 |pages=168159 |doi=10.1016/j.nima.2023.168159 |issn=0168-9002|doi-access=free |bibcode=2023NIMPA105068159A }} The WISArD setup reuses some of the WITCH experiment's infrastructure, as well as its superconducting magnet.{{Cite journal |last=Araujo-Escalona |first=Victoria Isabel |date=29 June 2021 |title=32Ar decay, a search for exotic current contributions in weak interactions |url=https://lirias.kuleuven.be/3468436?limo=0 |journal=LU Leuven}} The experiment measures the angular correlation between particles emitted by a parent and daughter nucleus to calculate non-SM contributions.

Attached to ISOLDE in building 508, is CERN's solid-state physics laboratory.{{Cite web |title=79th ISCC meeting {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/ISCC-meetings/2017/06/meeting-79th-iscc-meeting |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=isolde.cern}} Solid state physics research (SSP) accounts for 10–15% of the yearly allocation of beam time and uses about 20–25% of the overall number of experiments running at ISOLDE.{{Cite journal |last1=Johnston |first1=Karl |last2=Schell |first2=Juliana |last3=Correia |first3=J G |last4=Deicher |first4=M |last5=Gunnlaugsson |first5=H P |last6=Fenta |first6=A S |last7=David-Bosne |first7=E |last8=Costa |first8=A R G |last9=Lupascu |first9=Doru C |date=2017-10-01 |title=The solid state physics programme at ISOLDE: recent developments and perspectives |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=10 |page=104001 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa81ac |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017JPhG...44j4001J |hdl=20.500.11815/550 |hdl-access=free }} The laboratory uses the technique of Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation (TDPAC) to probe the large quantity of available radioactive elements provided by ISOLDE.{{Cite journal |last1=Schell |first1=Juliana |last2=Schaaf |first2=Peter |last3=Lupascu |first3=Doru C. |date=October 2017 |title=Perturbed angular correlations at ISOLDE: A 40 years young technique |journal=AIP Advances |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=105017 |doi=10.1063/1.4994249 |s2cid=125503635 |issn=2158-3226|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017AIPA....7j5017S }} This technique has also been used to measure ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties of materials, as well as providing ion beams for other facilities within ISOLDE.{{Cite journal |last1=Schell |first1=J. |last2=Hofsäss |first2=H. |last3=Lupascu |first3=D. C. |date=2020-01-15 |title=Using radioactive beams to unravel local phenomena in ferroic and multiferroic materials |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X19304392 |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |language=en |volume=463 |pages=134–137 |doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2019.06.016 |bibcode=2020NIMPB.463..134S |s2cid=197213597 |issn=0168-583X|url-access=subscription }} Additional methods used for SSP are tracer diffusion, online-Mössbauer spectroscopy (⁵⁷Mn) and photoluminescence with radioactive nuclei.{{Cite journal |last=J |first=Schell |date=2020-03-11 |title=Alternative Approaches to Study Mining and Mineral Science at ISOLDE-CERN |url=https://crimsonpublishers.com/amms/fulltext/AMMS.000592.php |journal=Aspects in Mining & Mineral Science |volume=4 |issue=4 |doi=10.31031/AMMS.2020.04.000592|s2cid=226013934 |doi-access=free }}

The HIE-ISOLDE project introduced a network of High Energy Beam Transfer (HEBT) beamlines to the ISOLDE facility.{{Cite journal |last=CERN |date=1970-01-01 |title=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs, Vol 1 (2018): HIE-ISOLDE : Technical Design Report for the Energy Upgrade |url=https://e-publishing.cern.ch/index.php/CYRM/issue/view/59 |language=en |pages=139.07 MB |doi=10.23731/CYRM-2018-001}} The common section beamline, XT00, joins to three bending beamlines (XT01, XT02, XT03) leading to different experiment setups. The three identical beamlines are independent of each other, for example, if the first XT01 dipole magnet is off, the beam will continue to the XT02 and XT03.{{Cite journal |last=Warr |first=Nigel |date=Jun 2015 |title=HIE-ISOLDE |url=https://www.ikp.uni-koeln.de/~warr/doc/hie-isolde.pdf |journal=University of Koeln}} They all bend the beam by 90 degrees and focus it using two dipole magnets and a doublet-quadrupole.{{Cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria |last2=Kadi |first2=Yacine |date=Oct 2016 |title=ISOLDE at CERN |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10619127.2016.1249214 |journal=Nuclear Physics News |language=en |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=6–13 |doi=10.1080/10619127.2016.1249214 |bibcode=2016NPNew..26....6B |issn=1061-9127|url-access=subscription }} The XT01 beamline leads to Miniball, the XT02 beamline leads to the ISS, and the XT03 beamline leads to movable setups, such as the SEC scattering chamber.{{Cite web |title=SEC {{!}} ISOLDE |url=https://isolde.cern/sec |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=isolde.cern}}{{Cite web |last1=Martel |first1=I |last2=Tengblad |first2=O |last3=Cederkall |first3=J |date=29 Apr 2019 |title=Physics at ISOLDE with SEC |url=https://indico.cern.ch/event/814162/contributions/3396897/attachments/1846084/3028878/SEC-XT03.pdf |access-date=18 Aug 2023 |website=indico.cern}}{{Cite journal |last=Borge |first=María J. G. |date=Feb 2018 |title=Recent Results from ISOLDE and HIE-ISOLDE |journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series |volume=966 |issue=1 |pages=012002 |doi=10.1088/1742-6596/966/1/012002 |issn=1742-6588|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018JPhCS.966a2002B |hdl=10261/166522 |hdl-access=free }}

File:Offline_2.jpg

Offline 2 was recently installed as a mass separator beamline at ISOLDE, with the purpose of satisfying the increased demands on the original offline facility, Offline 1.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=ISOLDE's new Offline 2 source nears completion |url=https://home.cern/news/news/experiments/isoldes-new-offline-2-source-nears-completion |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=CERN |language=en}} The facility includes the beamline enclosed in a Faraday cage as well as a laser laboratory and control station.{{Cite journal |last1=Ringvall Moberg |first1=Annie |last2=Warren |first2=Stuart |last3=Bissell |first3=Mark |last4=Crepieux |first4=Bernard |last5=Giles |first5=Tim |last6=Leimbach |first6=David |last7=Marsh |first7=Bruce |last8=Munoz Pequeno |first8=Carlos |last9=Owen |first9=Michael |last10=Vila Gracia |first10=Yago Nel |last11=Wilkins |first11=Shane |last12=Hanstorp |first12=Dag |last13=Rothe |first13=Sebastian |date=2022 |title=The Offline 2 facility at ISOLDE, CERN |url=http://cds.cern.ch/record/2844586 |language=en |doi=10.17181/CERN-OPEN-2022-015}} The offline facility is designed for target test studies, and upgraded to include potential for the production and study of molecular ion beams.{{Cite web |title=The ISOLDE experiment at CERN |url=https://portal.research.lu.se/en/equipments/the-isolde-experiment-at-cern |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Lund University |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Au |first1=M. |last2=Bernerd |first2=C. |last3=Gracia |first3=Y. Nel Vila |last4=Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis |first4=M. |last5=Ballof |first5=J. |last6=Bissell |first6=M. |last7=Chrysalidis |first7=K. |last8=Heinke |first8=R. |last9=Le |first9=L. |last10=Mancheva |first10=R. |last11=Marsh |first11=B. |last12=Rolewska |first12=J. |last13=Schuett |first13=M. |last14=Venenciano |first14=T. |last15=Wilkins |first15=S. G. |date=2023-08-01 |title=Developments at CERN-ISOLDE's OFFLINE 2 mass separator facility for studies of molecular ion beams |journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms |volume=541 |pages=144–147 |doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2023.05.023 |issn=0168-583X|doi-access=free |bibcode=2023NIMPB.541..144A }}

Below is the list of some physics activities done at ISOLDE facility.{{cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=Björn |last2=Riisager |first2=Karsten |title=The ISOLDE facility |journal=Scholarpedia |date=2010 |volume=5 |issue=7 |page=9742 |doi=10.4249/scholarpedia.9742 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2010SchpJ...5.9742J }}{{cite web |title=ISOLDE Timeline |url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/timeline-header/140 |access-date=12 September 2019 |website=Timelines |publisher=CERN}}

• Extension of the table of nuclides by discovering new isotopes

The ISOLDE facility continuously develops the nuclear chart, and was the first to study structural evolution in long chains of noble gas, alkali elements and mercury isotopes.

• High precision measurements of nuclear masses

The ISOLTRAP experimental setup Is able to make high precision measurements of nuclear masses by using a series of Penning traps.{{Cite web |title=ISOLTRAP |url=https://isoltrap.web.cern.ch/experiment.html |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=isoltrap.web.cern.ch}} The experiment has been able to measure isotopes with very short half-lives (<100 ms) with a precision of below 10⁻⁸.{{Cite journal |last1=Mougeot |first1=M |last2=Algora |first2=A |last3=Ascher |first3=P |last4=Atanasov |first4=D |last5=Blaum |first5=K |last6=Cakirli |first6=R B |last7=Eliseev |first7=S |last8=George |first8=S |last9=Herlert |first9=A |last10=Herfurth |first10=F |last11=Karthein |first11=J |last12=Kankainen |first12=A |last13=Kulikov |first13=I |last14=Litvinov |first14=Yu. A |last15=Lunney |first15=D |display-authors=14 |date=25 Sep 2019 |title=Penning-trap mass measurements with ISOLTRAP during the period 2014–2018 |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2690732/files/INTC-SR-091.pdf |journal=Status Report to the ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Committee}}{{Cite journal |last=Kellerbauer |first=Alban |date=2003-09-01 |title=Recent improvements of ISOLTRAP: absolute mass measurements of exotic nuclides at 10–8 precision |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1387380603002628 |journal=International Journal of Mass Spectrometry |series=Mass Spectrometry Contributions to Nanosciences and Nanotechnology |volume=229 |issue=1 |pages=107–115 |doi=10.1016/S1387-3806(03)00262-8 |bibcode=2003IJMSp.229..107K |issn=1387-3806}} For his work on "key contributions to the masses..." of isotopes at ISOLTRAP, among other work, Heinz-Jürgen Kluge was a recipient of the Lise Meitner Prize in 2006.{{Cite web |title=EPS Nuclear Physics Division – Lise Meitner Prize – European Physical Society (EPS) |url=https://www.eps.org/page/NPD_prizes_Lmeitner |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=www.eps.org}}{{Cite web |title=2006 Lise Meitner Prize for Nuclear Science |url=https://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~ianm/epsnpb/organization/activities/meitner/2006/meitner_2006.html |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=www.physics.gla.ac.uk}}{{Cite journal |date=Sep 2006 |title=EPS honours two physicists for their work on nuclear masses |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1733966/files/vol46-issue7.pdf |journal=CERN Courier |volume=46 |issue=7 |pages=45}}

• Discovery of shape staggering in light Hg isotopes

Atomic nuclei are usually spherical, however gradual changes in nuclear shape can occur when the number of neutrons of a given element changes. Research published in 1971 showed that if single neutrons are added to or removed from the nuclei of mercury isotopes, the shape will change to a "rugby ball".{{Cite journal |date=1972-03-06 |title=Sudden change in the nuclear charge distribution of very light mercury isotopes |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0370269372902535 |journal=Physics Letters B |language=en-US |volume=38 |issue=5 |pages=308–311 |doi=10.1016/0370-2693(72)90253-5 |issn=0370-2693 |last1=Bonn |first1=J. |last2=Huber |first2=G. |last3=Kluge |first3=H.-J. |last4=Kugler |first4=L. |last5=Otten |first5=E.W. |bibcode=1972PhLB...38..308B |url-access=subscription }} Newer studies, from RILIS, show that this shape staggering also occurs with bismuth isotopes.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=Bismuth isotopes also alternate from spheres to rugby balls |url=https://home.cern/news/news/physics/bismuth-isotopes-also-alternate-spheres-rugby-balls |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CERN |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Barzakh |first1=A. |last2=Andreyev |first2=A. N. |last3=Raison |first3=C. |last4=Cubiss |first4=J. G. |last5=Van Duppen |first5=P. |last6=Péru |first6=S. |last7=Hilaire |first7=S. |last8=Goriely |first8=S. |last9=Andel |first9=B. |last10=Antalic |first10=S. |last11=Al Monthery |first11=M. |last12=Berengut |first12=J. C. |last13=Bieroń |first13=J. |last14=Bissell |first14=M. L. |last15=Borschevsky |first15=A. |date=2021-11-02 |title=Large Shape Staggering in Neutron-Deficient Bi Isotopes |journal=Physical Review Letters |volume=127 |issue=19 |pages=192501 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.192501|doi-access=free |pmid=34797155 |bibcode=2021PhRvL.127s2501B }}

• Contributions to island of inversion measurements and potential discovery of new magic numbers

The island of inversion is a region of the chart of nuclides in which isotopes have enhanced stability, compared to the surrounding unstable nuclei. The island is associated with the magic neutron numbers (N = 8, 14, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126), where this breakdown occurs. Various experiments at ISOLDE have determined properties of these island of inversion isotopes, including the first of their kind measurements performed with Miniball on magnesium-32, lying in the island of inversion at N = 20.{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=B. Alex |date=2010-12-13 |title=Islands of insight in the nuclear chart |url=https://physics.aps.org/articles/v3/104 |journal=Physics |language=en |volume=3 |issue=25 |pages=104 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.252501|pmid=21231582 |arxiv=1010.3999 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Wimmer |first1=K. |last2=Kröll |first2=T. |last3=Krücken |first3=R. |last4=Bildstein |first4=V. |last5=Gernhäuser |first5=R. |last6=Bastin |first6=B. |last7=Bree |first7=N. |last8=Diriken |first8=J. |last9=Van Duppen |first9=P. |last10=Huyse |first10=M. |last11=Patronis |first11=N. |last12=Vermaelen |first12=P. |last13=Voulot |first13=D. |last14=Van de Walle |first14=J. |last15=Wenander |first15=F. |date=2010-12-13 |title=Discovery of the Shape Coexisting 0 + State in Mg 32 by a Two Neutron Transfer Reaction |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.252501 |journal=Physical Review Letters |language=en |volume=105 |issue=25 |page=252501 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.252501 |pmid=21231582 |issn=0031-9007|arxiv=1010.3999 }} Furthermore, the ISOLTRAP experiment provided results using calcium-52 to reveal a potential new magic number, 32, which was later disproven by the CRIS experiment.{{Cite web |date=2013-07-19 |title=ISOLDE experiments: from a new magic number to the rarest element |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/isolde-experiments-from-a-new-magic-number-to-the-rarest-element/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CERN Courier |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2021-02-18 |title=There is no magic in having 32 neutrons, reveals study done at CERN |url=https://physicsworld.com/there-is-no-magic-in-having-32-neutrons-reveals-study-done-at-cern/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Physics World |language=en-GB}}

• Production of isomeric beams

A nuclear isomer is a metastable state of a nucleus, in which one or more nucleons occupy higher energy levels than in the ground state of the same nucleus. In the mid-2000s, REX-ISOLDE developed a technique to select and post-accelerate isomeric beams to use in nuclear-decay experiments, such as at Miniball.{{Cite web |date=2005-11-25 |title=REX-ISOLDE accelerates the first isomeric beams |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/rex-isolde-accelerates-the-first-isomeric-beams/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CERN Courier |language=en-GB}}{{Cite journal |last1=Stefanescu |first1=I. |last2=Georgiev |first2=G. |last3=Ames |first3=F. |last4=Äystö |first4=J. |last5=Balabanski |first5=D. L. |last6=Bollen |first6=G. |last7=Butler |first7=P. A. |last8=Cederkäll |first8=J. |last9=Champault |first9=N. |last10=Davinson |first10=T. |last11=Maesschalck |first11=A. De |last12=Delahaye |first12=P. |last13=Eberth |first13=J. |last14=Fedorov |first14=D |last15=Fedosseev |first15=V. N. |date=2007-03-23 |title=Coulomb Excitation of Cu 68, 70 : First Use of Postaccelerated Isomeric Beams |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.122701 |journal=Physical Review Letters |language=en |volume=98 |issue=12 |page=122701 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.122701 |pmid=17501116 |bibcode=2007PhRvL..98l2701S |issn=0031-9007|url-access=subscription }}

• Production of gold

In 2022, the RILIS, Windmill and ISOLTRAP teams reported producing 18 gold nuclei from proton bombardment of a uranium target.{{cite journal | last=Barzakh | first=A.E. | last2=Andreyev | first2=A.N. | last3=Atanasov | first3=D. | last4=Forty-three other members | first4=Isolde collaboration | title=Producing gold at ISOLDE-CERN | journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms | volume=513 | date=2022 | doi=10.1016/j.nimb.2021.12.011 | doi-access=free | pages=26–32 | url=https://hal.science/hal-03536891/document | access-date=May 13, 2025}}

• Discovery of beta-delayed multi-particle emission

The first observation of beta-delayed two-neutron emission was made at ISOLDE in 1979, using the isotope lithium-11.{{Cite journal |last1=Azuma |first1=R. E. |last2=Carraz |first2=L. C. |last3=Hansen |first3=P. G. |last4=Jonson |first4=B. |last5=Kratz |first5=K. -L. |last6=Mattsson |first6=S. |last7=Nyman |first7=G. |last8=Ohm |first8=H. |last9=Ravn |first9=H. L. |last10=Schröder |first10=A. |last11=Ziegert |first11=W. |date=1979-11-26 |title=First Observation of Beta-Delayed Two-Neutron Radioactivity: Li 11 |url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.43.1652 |journal=Physical Review Letters |language=en |volume=43 |issue=22 |pages=1652–1654 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.43.1652 |issn=0031-9007}} Beta-delayed emission occurs for isotopes further away from the line of stability, and involves particle emission after beta decay.{{Cite journal |last=Borge |first=M J G |date=2013-01-01 |title=Beta-delayed particle emission |journal=Physica Scripta |volume=T152 |pages=014013 |doi=10.1088/0031-8949/2013/T152/014013 |issn=0031-8949|doi-access=free |bibcode=2013PhST..152a4013B }} Newer studies have been proposed to investigate beta-delayed multi-particle emission of lithium-11 using the IDS.{{Cite journal |last1=Algora |first1=A |last2=Borge |first2=M J G |last3=Briz |first3=J A |last4=Clisu |first4=C |last5=Fijalkowska |first5=A |last6=Fynbo |first6=H O U |last7=Gad |first7=A |last8=Heinz |first8=A |last9=Holl |first9=M |last10=Illana Sison |first10=A |last11=Jensen |first11=E |last12=Johansson |first12=H T |last13=Jonson |first13=B |last14=Korgul |first14=A |last15=Kurtukian Nieto |first15=T |display-authors=14 |date=21 Sep 2020 |title=A new approach to beta-delayed multi-neutron emission |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2730942/files/INTC-P-568.pdf |journal=Proposal to the ISOLDE and Neutron Time-of-Flight Committee}}

• Studies on nuclear resonance systems beyond the drip line and existence of halo structure

The nuclear drip line is the boundary beyond which adding nucleons to a nucleus will result in the immediate decay of a nucleon (nucleon has 'dripped' out of the nucleus).{{Cite journal |title=Proton and neutron drip lines |url=https://www.accessscience.com/content/article/a551325 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=McGraw Hill's AccessScience |language=en |doi=10.1036/1097-8542.551325|url-access=subscription }} Accelerated RIBs from REX-ISOLDE are used in transfer reactions which allow for studies of nuclear resonance systems beyond the dripline.{{Cite journal |last1=Moro |first1=A. M. |last2=Casal |first2=J. |last3=Gómez-Ramos |first3=M. |date=2019-06-10 |title=Investigating the 10Li continuum through 9Li(d,p)10Li reactions |journal=Physics Letters B |volume=793 |pages=13–18 |doi=10.1016/j.physletb.2019.04.015 |issn=0370-2693|doi-access=free |arxiv=1904.04224 }}

Some light nuclei close to the drip line may have a neutron halo structure, due to the tunnelling of loosely bound neutrons outside the nucleus.{{Cite journal |last1=Pietro |first1=A Di |last2=Riisager |first2=K |last3=Duppen |first3=P Van |date=2017-03-10 |title=Physics with post-accelerated beams at ISOLDE: nuclear reactions |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=044013 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa6088 |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4013D }} This proof of the halo structure was made at ISOLDE from a series of experiments analysing the lithium-11 nucleus.{{Cite journal |last1=Tanihata |first1=Isao |last2=Savajols |first2=Herve |last3=Kanungo |first3=Rituparna |date=2013-01-01 |title=Recent experimental progress in nuclear halo structure studies |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146641012001081 |journal=Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics |volume=68 |pages=215–313 |doi=10.1016/j.ppnp.2012.07.001 |bibcode=2013PrPNP..68..215T |issn=0146-6410|url-access=subscription }}

• First observations of short-lived pear-shaped atomic nuclei

Research conducting using the Miniball experimental setup found evidence of pear-shaped heavy nuclei, in particular radon-220 and radium-224. These results were named in the Institute of Physics (IoP) "top 10 breakthroughs in physics" in 2013, and was featured as the cover of Nature 2013.{{Cite web |last=iopp |date=2013-12-13 |title=Top 10 physics breakthroughs for 2013 announced |url=https://ioppublishing.org/news/top-10-physics-breakthroughs-for-2013-announced/ |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=IOP Publishing |language=en-GB}}{{Cite journal |title=Cover story: Going Pear-Shaped |journal=Nature |volume=497 |issue=7448 |date=9 May 2013 |url=https://www.nature.com/nature/volumes/497/issues/7448 |access-date=2023-08-11}} In 2020, due to the HIE-ISOLDE upgrade, radium-222 was also found to have a "stable pear shape".{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=ISOLDE spots another pear-shaped nucleus |url=https://home.cern/news/news/physics/isolde-spots-another-pear-shaped-nucleus |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CERN |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last1=Butler |first1=P. A. |last2=Gaffney |first2=L. P. |last3=Spagnoletti |first3=P. |last4=Abrahams |first4=K. |last5=Bowry |first5=M. |last6=Cederkäll |first6=J. |last7=de Angelis |first7=G. |last8=De Witte |first8=H. |last9=Garrett |first9=P. E. |last10=Goldkuhle |first10=A. |last11=Henrich |first11=C. |last12=Illana |first12=A. |last13=Johnston |first13=K. |last14=Joss |first14=D. T. |last15=Keatings |first15=J. M. |date=2020-01-31 |title=Evolution of Octupole Deformation in Radium Nuclei from Coulomb Excitation of Radioactive Ra 222 and Ra 228 Beams |journal=Physical Review Letters |language=en |volume=124 |issue=4 |page=042503 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.042503 |issn=0031-9007|doi-access=free |pmid=32058764 |arxiv=2001.09681 }} Laser spectroscopy has been performed on a short-lived radioactive molecule, containing radium, which further studies into could reveal physics beyond the Standard Model due to time-reversal symmetry breaking.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=ISOLDE scores a first with laser spectroscopy of short-lived radioactive molecules |url=https://home.cern/news/news/physics/isolde-scores-first-laser-spectroscopy-short-lived-radioactive-molecules |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=CERN |language=en}}

• Measurement of ^229mTh transition energy

In 2023, ISOLDE made the first 1%-level measurement of the ultralow-energy thorium-229m nuclear isomer, detecting photons at an energy of {{val|8.338|0.024|u=eV}}.{{cite journal

| first1=Sandro |last1=Kraemer |display-authors=etal

| title=Observation of the radiative decay of the ²²⁹Th nuclear clock isomer

| journal=Nature

| volume=617 | date=25 May 2023 | issue=7962 | pages=706–710

| doi=10.1038/s41586-023-05894-z | pmid=37225880

| arxiv=2209.10276 | bibcode=2023Natur.617..706K

| quote=photons of {{val|8.338|(24)|u=eV}} are measured, in agreement with recent measurements and the uncertainty is decreased by a factor of seven. The half-life of ^229mTh embedded in MgF₂ is determined to be {{val|670|(102)|u=s}}.

}} This was a key step in the construction of a future nuclear clock.{{cite news

| title=Measurements of a key radioactive decay nudge a nuclear clock closer to reality

| first=Emily | last=Conover | author-link=Emily Conover

| date=1 June 2023

| journal=ScienceNews

| url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/radioactive-decay-nuclear-clock-reality

}}

Below is a list of improvements needed for the ISOLDE facility, considering both medium and long-term goals.{{Cite web |last=GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung |date=10 December 2021 |title=ISOLDE (Isotope Separator OnLine DEvice) |url=https://indico.gsi.de/event/13483/contributions/57352/attachments/38090/51269/2021-12-10-ISOLDE-KHuK.pdf}} Some of these improvements have been proposed by the EPIC project.{{Cite journal |last1=Catherall |first1=Richard |last2=Giles |first2=Timothy |last3=Neyens |first3=Gerda |date=2019 |others=Boland Mark (Ed.), Tanaka Hitoshi (Ed.), Button David (Ed.), Dowd Rohan (Ed.), Schaa, Volker RW (Ed.), Tan Eugene (Ed.) |title=Exploiting the Potential of ISOLDE at CERN (the EPIC Project) |url=http://jacow.org/ipac2019/doi/JACoW-IPAC2019-THPGW053.html |journal=Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf. |language=en |volume=IPAC2019 |pages=3 pages, 0.616 MB |doi=10.18429/JACOW-IPAC2019-THPGW053 |s2cid=214546194}}

• Parallel RIBs operation
• New beam dumps for the two target stations will give a proton beam at higher energy and double intensity
• Phase 3 upgrade to the HIE-ISOLDE post-accelerator to increase energy beyond 10 MeV per nucleon
• Upgrade of transfer line from the PSB

• Addition of a storage ring with the capabilities to store short-lived isotopes
• A new HRS with a higher resolving power
• New ISOLDE building
• Installation of two extra target stations

• Eurisol
• Total absorption spectroscopy
• Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
• Rare Isotope Science Project

• {{Official website|http://isolde.web.cern.ch/|ISOLDE – official website}}
• [http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/isolde ISOLDE page within CERN website]
• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAk-9e5KQYEqdW9xuRMYPgnlz0RFsoyDK A mini documentary series about ISOLDE by CERN (YouTube playlist)]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BMhMc4tjIQ Celebrating 50 years of physics at ISOLDE by CERN (YouTube video)]
• [http://isolde.web.cern.ch/sites/isolde.web.cern.ch/files/ISOLDE_English-H_0.pdf A poster about ISOLDE from ISOLDE website]
• [http://isolde.web.cern.ch/sites/isolde.web.cern.ch/files/HIE-ISOLDE-poster-Sep11-print_quality.pdf A poster about HIE-ISOLDE and some other upgrades from ISOLDE website]

• {{cite journal |title=Focus on Exotic Beams at ISOLDE: A Laboratory Portrait |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |date=2017 |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=010301 |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa990f |last1=Borge |first1=María J G. |last2=Blaum |first2=Klaus |doi-access=free |hdl=21.11116/0000-0000-6FCD-E |hdl-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |title=ISOLDE – a laboratory portrait |journal=Hyperfine Interactions |date=December 2000 |volume=129 |issue=1–4 |doi=10.1023/A:1012690327194 |url=https://link.springer.com/journal/10751/129/1/page/1 |access-date=9 August 2019|last1=Forkel-Wirth |first1=Doris |last2=Bollen |first2=Georg |url-access=subscription }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=Björn |last2=Riisager |first2=Karsten |title=The ISOLDE facility |journal=Scholarpedia |date=2010 |volume=5 |issue=7 |page=9742 |doi=10.4249/scholarpedia.9742 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2010SchpJ...5.9742J }}
• {{cite book |last1=Van Duppen |first1=Piet |chapter=Isotope Separation on Line and Post Acceleration |title=The Euroschool Lectures on Physics with Exotic Beams, Vol. II |journal=The Euroschool Lectures on Physics with Exotic Beams |date=2006 |volume=2 |pages=37–77 |doi=10.1007/3-540-33787-3_2|series=Lecture Notes in Physics |isbn=978-3-540-33786-7 |bibcode=2006LNP...700...37V }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Jonson |first1=Björn |title=ISOLDE and its contributions to nuclear physics in Europe |journal=Physics Reports |date=April 1993 |volume=225 |issue=1–3 |pages=137–155 |doi=10.1016/0370-1573(93)90165-A |bibcode=1993PhR...225..137J }}
• {{cite journal |title=ISOLDE isotope separator on-line project |journal=CERN Courier |date=February 1967 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=22–27 |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1728851 |access-date=13 September 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

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