Studying exotic nuclei at ISOLDE: what laser spectroscopy can tell us

by Jessica Warbinek (KU Leuven)

Tuesday 30 Jun 2026, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Zurich

503/1-001 - Council Chamber (CERN)

For several decades, the ISOLDE facility at CERN has been at the forefront of nuclear physics research. More than 1000 radioactive isotopes can be produced at ISOLDE and investigated using a variety of techniques, all with a common goal: to study nuclear structure and improve our understanding of the strong force binding atomic nuclei. Experiments probe the excited-state structure of radioactive isotopes, their masses and binding energies, electromagnetic properties, and even lay the groundwork for applications, for instance for nuclear medicine.

One of the main pillars of the ISOLDE research program is laser spectroscopy. By studying the atomic structure of chemical elements and subtle variations in the atomic energy levels and the hyperfine structure, rich information on nuclear ground-state properties can be extracted. In this way, signatures of “magic” combinations of protons and neutrons, associated with enhanced nuclear stability, and the evolution of nuclear shell structure far from stability can be investigated.

In recent years, laser spectroscopy studies at ISOLDE have provided new insights into nuclear structure phenomena, atomic structure, and, more recently, also into the properties of radioactive molecules. With growing interest in heavy molecules containing pear-shaped nuclei as sensitive probes for electric dipole moment (EDM) searches, in-depth studies of candidate systems have been performed at ISOLDE. These studies establish the spectroscopic foundations required for future precision measurements by characterizing the electronic and molecular structure of these systems.

This seminar will provide an overview of the capabilities of laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE, highlight recent results, ongoing developments, and future perspectives.

 

 

Refreshments will be served at 10:30

 

EPSeminar_JWarbinek_Online.pdf

EPSeminar_JWarbinek_Online.pptx

Recording