First Penning-trap mass measurement in the millisecond half-life range: the exotic halo nucleus 11Li

M. Smith; M. Brodeur; T. Brunner; S. Ettenauer; A Lapierre; R. Ringle; V. L. Ryjkov; F. Ames; P. Bricault; G. W. F. Drake; P. Delheij; D Lunney; J. Dilling

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.101.202501

arXiv · 0807.1260

First Penning-trap mass measurement in the millisecond half-life range: the exotic halo nucleus 11Li

M. Smith·M. Brodeur·T. Brunner·S. Ettenauer·A Lapierre·R. Ringle·V. L. Ryjkov·F. Ames·P. Bricault·G. W. F. Drake·P. Delheij·D Lunney·J. Dilling

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Abstract

In this letter, we report a new mass for $^{11}$Li using the trapping experiment TITAN at TRIUMF's ISAC facility. This is by far the shortest-lived nuclide, $t_{1/2} = 8.8 \rm{ms}$, for which a mass measurement has ever been performed with a Penning trap. Combined with our mass measurements of $^{8,9}$Li we derive a new two-neutron separation energy of 369.15(65) keV: a factor of seven more precise than the best previous value. This new value is a critical ingredient for the determination of the halo charge radius from isotope-shift measurements. We also report results from state-of-the-art atomic-physics calculations using the new mass and extract a new charge radius for $^{11}$Li. This result is a remarkable confluence of nuclear and atomic physics.

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M. Smith, M. Brodeur, T. Brunner, S. Ettenauer, A Lapierre, R. Ringle, V. L. Ryjkov, F. Ames, P. Bricault, G. W. F. Drake, P. Delheij, D Lunney, J. Dilling. 2008-07-21. First Penning-trap mass measurement in the millisecond half-life range: the exotic halo nucleus 11Li. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.202501

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