A gas cell for thermalizing, storing and transporting radioactive ions andatoms. Part I: Off-line studies with a laser ion source

The application of a gas cell filled by noble gas (He or Ar) for thermalizi ng, storing and transporting trace radioactive ions and atoms has been stud ied in off-line conditions. Two-step laser resonance ionization has been us ed to produce ions of stable and long-lived radioactive isotopes inside the cell. The interactions of ions with impurity molecules, with noble gas ato ms, with electrons and with electrical fields have been investigated in ord er to specify the requirements for the gas cell as a source of radioactive rare isotopes for the next generation radioactive ion beam facilities. Extr action and transport of ions by the sextupole ion guide (SPIG) without appl ying DC electrical field allows to get information about the gas purity and about chemical reactions which take place inside the gas cell. (C) 2001 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.