The Texas A&M University Penning Trap (TAMUTRAP)

The TAMUTRAP project is centered around the construction of a large-bore cylindrical Penning trap for β-ν correlation and precision mass measurement experiments. The experimental design features a helium buffer gas RFQ to prepare the beam for injection into our novel large-bore Penning trap located within a 7 T superconducting solenoid magnet.

Short lived ions selected for β-ν correlation measurements are captured directly in the ultra high vacuum measurement trap after leaving the RFQ buncher. β-delayed proton decays subsequently occur from the resulting point-like ion source at the trap center, and the atypically large trap bore in conjunction with the 7 T magnetic field, allows for the complete containment of the β and proton decay products. By measuring the spread in energies of these decay products at detectors located at the endcaps of the trap, the β-ν correlation parameter can be deduced.

Precision mass measurements utilize both the measurement and purification traps. The ion bunch is first captured in the buffer gas purification trap which cools ions of a particular mass through RF coupling of the magnetron and cyclotron motions. These cooled ions of interest are then allowed to pass to the measurement trap, where precision mass measurements are performed by the time of flight technique.

The system will also be capable of further purifying and bunching various beams provided by the K-150 Cyclotron for use in other experiments.