RILIS ionizes element-selective radioisotopes produced at ISOLDE 
- Uses many different wave-length tunable lasers in a multi-step element-dependent ionization scheme that requires usually between 2 and 4 individual lasers
- Laser tables today are very crowded, requires meticulous planning for setup of beam times
- Over the years RILIS changed a lot (started in the 1990s at the ISOLDE-SC), first installed at ISOLDE-PSB in 1994 in a reused wooden cabin near the entrance of the HRS separator magnet. In 2002 a new structure was installed which is partially still used today. In 2007 the ISCOOL high-voltage cage was installed next to the RILIS cabin, a natural constraint to further expansion.
- Until 2007 RILIS reached operational hours up to 1500h per year, spawning a 1.5MHCHF investment in exploiting RILIS more efficiently, triggering a thorough replacement of lasers, tables, etc. 
- In 2010 the current layout of the lab was installed, included another small expansion maximizing the available space. 
- After these upgrades, between 2012 and today, the operational hours of RILIS plateau around 2500h per year, providing more than 50% of the ISOLDE beams on both separator magnets 
- Main motivations: lack of space, capability limits reached, lack of sufficient temperature stabilization, unstable floor, risk of radiation exposure (especially after the beam dump upgrade that allow higher proton beam current)