Natural atom traps offer the promise of improving several broad classes of experiments with radioactive isotopes.¹

For nuclear beta-decay, precise measurements of the kinematic correlations between the emitted positron and neutrino test the standard model of the weak interaction.² Therefore, the aim of my research is to develop a highly efficient atomic trap setup for different isotopes of metastable neon for the purpose of conducting high precision experiments in atomic and nuclear physics.
For efficient trapping, a high intensity, slow, atomic beam is desired. Therefore we have constructed different apparatus utilizing aspects of atom optics (laser-cooling), plasma physics and laser spectroscopy.

[1] J. Behr, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 204, 526 (2003).

[2] J. A. Behr and G.Gwinner, Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics 36 (2009).