Annabelle Czihaly
- BSc (University of the Fraser Valley, 2022)
Topic
An Odyssey in Exploring Nuclei: High-Precision Mass Measurements of Exotic Tin Isotopes and Progress Toward Implementing a Phase-Based Measurement Technique
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Date & location
- Tuesday, December 10, 2024
- 10:00 A.M.
- Clearihue Building, Room B019
Examining Committee
Supervisory Committee
- Dr. Michel Lefebvre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)
- Dr. Ania Kwiatkowski, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UVic (Co-Supervisor)
External Examiner
- Dr. Matthew Redshaw, Department of Physics, Central Michigan University
Chair of Oral Examination
- Dr. Tetjana Ross, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, UVic
Abstract
Since mass is a fundamental property of nuclei, precision mass measurements are integral in advancing our understanding of nuclear physics. TRIUMF’s Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear science (TITAN) facility houses two high-precision mass spectrometers designed for mass measurements of radioactive isotopes: a Multiple-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (MR-TOF MS) and a Measurement Penning Trap (MPET).
This thesis presents the results from a MR-TOF MS campaign focused on the measurement of doubly magic 100Sn where, due to a site-wide power failure that ended the experiment early, we successfully measured isotopes with mass numbers 104 through 107 to a precision of δm/m ≈ 10−7. Additionally, the most precise TITAN trap, MPET, is undergoing a major upgrade aimed at achieving precisions below δm/m ≈ 10−10. As part of this upgrade, MPET is implementing a new phase-based measurement technique called Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance (PI-ICR). To support this implementation, the Phase-Imaging Analysis Tool (PhIAT) was upgraded and tested to assist in system tuning and performing mass measurements with PI-ICR.