High-Precision Experiments with Trapped Radioactive Ions Produced at Relativistic Energies

Research on radioactive ion beams produced with in-flight separation of relativistic beams has advanced significantly over the past decades, with contributions to nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, atomic physics, and other fields. Central to these advancements are improved production, separation, and identification methods.The FRS Ion Catcher at GSI/FAIRexemplifies these technological advancements. The system facilitates high-precision experiments by efficiently stopping and extracting exotic nuclei as ions and making these available at thermal energies. High-energy synchrotron beams enhance the system’s capabilities, enabling unique experimental techniques such as multi-step reactions, mean range bunching, and optimized stopping, as well as novel measurement methods for observables such as beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities. The FRS Ion Catcher has already contributed to various scientific fields, and the future with the Super-FRS at FAIR promises to extend research to even more exotic nuclei and new applications.