Laser ion source tests at the HRIBF on stable Sn, Ge and Ni isotopes

As one step in the ion source development for the Rare Isotope Accelerator, a hot-cavity laser ion source using an all-solid-state titanium–sapphire laser system has been tested at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility. Resonance ionization of stable isotopes of Sn, Ge and Ni has been studied in a Ta hot cavity. Efficient three step resonant ionization schemes applying frequency tripling for the first excitation step and using auto-ionizing or atomic Rydberg states in the ionizing step have been identified for all three elements, resulting in laser ion beams of typically around 100 nA. By saturating most of the optical excitation steps involved, ionization efficiencies of 22%, 3.3% and 2.7% have been measured for Sn, Ge and Ni, respectively.