Exotic particles offer deeper insight into matter and antimatter

Collinear Resonance Ionisation Spectroscopy (CRIS) makes it possible to determine the size and the electromagnetic properties of highly exotic atomic nuclei. CERN - At the European nuclear and particle physics laboratory CERN, physicists can produce extremely rare short-lived atoms and molecules. Researchers from KU Leuven have shown that these particles lead the way to uncharted territory in nuclear and particle physics. One of the oldest active installations at the Centre for European Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva is the ISOLDE laboratory. This is where, since the 1960s, radioactive - and therefore unstable - particles, consisting of an exotic combination of protons and neutrons, have been created by sending an energetic proton beam onto a piece of uranium. After production, the particles are ionised and accelerated. The use of electromagnetic fields makes it possible to sort these particles on the basis of their mass and lock them in a 'trap' for a couple of milliseconds.