Resonance ionization spectroscopy of bismuth at the IGISOL facility

A programme of research has commenced at the IGISOL facility, Jyvaskyla, combining the technique of resonance ionization spectroscopy with the development of the highly selective laser ion source trap (LIST). The first element of interest is bismuth, which contains three isomers of multi-quasiparticle states in near-spherical nuclei, namely Bi-207 (21/2(+), 182 mu s), Bi-204 (10(+), 13 ms) and Bi-204 (17(+), 1.07 ms). A measurement of the optical isomer shift provides a direct comparison of the mean-square charge radii between the isomer and the nuclear ground state. Due to the short isomer lifetimes the spectroscopy will be done either within the ion guide or in a sextupole ion beam guide (SPIG), located after the ion guide and used in the development of the LIST. A mixed dye-Ti:Sapphire laser ionization scheme has been successfully tested for bismuth and first off-line results have been obtained.