Extension of Penning-trap mass measurements to very short-lived nuclides

Abstract Mass measurements on 33,34,42,43 Ar have been performed at the ISOLTRAP spectrometer. An accuracy of δm ≈4 keV has been achieved for all measured isotopes. With 33 Ar it is the first time that a nuclide with a half-life shorter than one second has been investigated using a Penning trap. This became possible due to the recently installed linear radio-frequency ion-trap system and an improved, faster measurement cycle.