A radio frequency quadrupole ion beam buncher for ISOLTRAP

ISOLTRAP is a Penning trap spectrometer at the on-line mass separator ISOLDE at CERN for the mass determination of radioisotopes. It consists of three electromagnetic traps in tandem; a Paul trap for ISOLDE beam collection, a Penning trap for cooling and purification and a high-precision Penning trap for the measurement of masses by cyclotron resonance. The Paul trap, which collects radionuclide ions using only electric fields and a noble buffer gas, has been essential for the masses of radionuclides that cannot be surface ionized. The success with this system has led to the present program to increase the collection efficiency by replacing the Paul trap by a radiofrequency quadrupole ion guide operating as a buncher. This system would also provide a DC ISOLDE beam of emittance approaching 1 π-mm-mrad.